Manic depression or now called bipolar affective disorder, have millions of people suffering from this mood disorder. Mood swings are but natural, but this mood disorder is way beyond the normal experiences of people. The disorder is characterized by extreme low depression and highs of an elated mood or mania. The frequency usually varies from one individual to another.
The cause of bipolar affective disorder is not yet established although experts claim that it has something to do with genetics and hormonal levels. There are also cases when other acquired illnesses of an individual cause bipolar disorder.
Everyday, a person experiences different emotions and events, and oftentimes these things trigger the mood swings. Coping up with happy events and unpleasant ones can put you in greater threat for depressive and manic episodes.
The triggers cause your mood swings. These are also called stressors, and it includes the following:
- not sleeping regularly
- drugs or alcohol misuse
- medication stoppage
- starting depression medicines or herbal products
- having medical conditions like thyroid problems
- seasonal changes
- illnesses
- holidays
- disagreements between family/friends
- work problems
- death of family member, friend, or loved one
- marital problems
- starting college or a new line of work
If you’re diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder, you should be able to identify the triggers. You can do this by having your very own mood chart. You have to record all your emotions and the corresponding events that took place. After a while, you may now notice certain patterns.
Making your own mood chart is a tough job. It would be best to have a helpful talk with your family and trusted friends. You must also try to consult your therapist or healthcare provider. They may be able to help you more since they are not part of your life. You can better see things through their professional help.
After figuring out all the possible mood swing triggers, you have to learn to evade them. This involves action and would require you to avoid some of your bad habits. Your friends and family members should also be made aware of the triggers so that they can assist you in your struggle.
Bipolar affective disorder is not easily detected. In fact, many people may go for many years without being diagnosed. Unlike other illnesses and disorders, bipolar does not entail any laboratory test. The medical provider will simply use the MDQ. This is a questionnaire utilized for bipolar disorder; and the person conducting such questionnaire fills up the checklist based on the symptoms exhibited by the person. However, the checklist can only be used and given the right diagnosis by a medical provider.
There are several medications that can be used for treating bipolar affective disorder, including the following:
1. Mood Stabilizers – this medicine can relieve or delay depression and mania episodes.
2. Antidepressants – people having a depressive episode can use a mood stabilizer together with an antidepressant. If this medicine is used alone, the chance of switching into a mania episode is increased.
3. Antipsychotic – persons having mania episodes can use this medication; severe mania or depressive episodes can lead to psychosis, and this can be treated with antipsychotic. You can use the medication alone or your provider can also use it together with other medications especially if the patient feels nervous or is unable to sleep.
4. Electroconvulsive therapy or ECT – this is not actually a medication but rather a treatment to help people suffering from severe depression or mania episodes. Those individuals who don’t respond to medications can also undergo this therapy.
The ECT is a therapy and it aims to control acute depressive and manic symptoms. It can effectively reduce mood instability and cycling and at the same time minimizing bipolar symptoms and treatment side effects. Through a management plan, the bipolar patient can return to his normal life.
Although the medications are not guaranteed to remove such condition, your mood swings can be stabilized. You can effectively control symptoms and easily cope with certain problems.
Not only is the individual affected but also their families. But with proper medications and treatment, bipolar affective disorder can be stabilized and controlled. Consult your medical provider now.
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Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that involves rapid change of mood conditions. As the name implies, “bi” means two or dual and “polar” connotes polarity. By application, this means that a person with symptoms of bipolar disorder tends to abruptly change polarities from extreme happiness down to severe sadness within a short time interval.
It Can Be Hard To Detect
Bipolar disorder is a serious problem. If a child has this illness at a young age and is left unattended, drastic symptoms of bipolar disorder may start to emerge at adolescence. Research indicates that the illness will not manifest immediately. It can take several years before signs of manic depression become obvious.
The life of a patient who is suffering from this mental disorder is often disrupted. He doesn’t live a normal life. The list below shows the different signs as categorized by both mania or hypomania and depression.
When a bipolar patient experiences his or her highest manic state, any of these symptoms of bipolar disorder can be expected:
* The person will have a tendency to be overly optimistic and confident. This is the “nothing-can-stop-me-now” attitude.
* There is so much hyperactive energy and because of this, the person becomes restless. Sometimes the patient may seem to look very passionate about certain tasks.
* The person may not find the need to sleep. At this manic high state, the body may also prevent the patient from feeling tired.
* There is the tendency of the person to feel very important – the delusion of grandeur.
* The bipolar patient can be unreasonably annoying and aggressive to other people.
* The person tends to make impulsive judgments without rationalization.
* The patient becomes overly talkative as if he or she is racing against his or her thoughts.
In severe cases of manic disorder, patients may hallucinate. This in effect can become more difficult to determine the accuracy of a doctor’s diagnosis.
The symptoms of the depressive state are the opposite of those for the manic phase:
* The patient becomes very pessimistic.
* When depression sets in, all the energy is lost.
* The bipolar patient may experience erratic sleep schedules and abnormal appetite.
* The confidence is lost and excessively low self-esteem takes over.
* The patient will tend to self-pity and induce guilt on self.
* The patient tends to develop suicidal tendencies.
Serious Consequences If Left Untreated
Many reported teenage suicides have traces of untreated bipolar disorder during childhood. As these mood swings pile up through the years, it eventually manifests. Adolescence is usually the age that symptoms of bipolar disorder take over.
Available Medications
There are many available medications for bipolar treatment. The treatment depends on the severity of the patient’s disorder. For children who have tendencies of bipolar disorder, it is best to pay attention to their needs while they’re still young.
Talk To Your Doctor
As a parent, the best thing you can do is give them love and attention. Otherwise, these bipolar symptoms can very well become destructive if parents are negligent. Always consult your health care professional if you have any concerns about this condition.
This early morning video shows me just as I’ve taken my meds. I’m asking the question what’s a symptom and what does it mean?
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When I studied bipolar disorder in medical school, I thought it was very simple. You got high, you got low, you got better, then you started again.
Then I started to have painful psychological symptoms, so I looked up the books, but no disorder seemed to fit my experience very well.
The official version of the symptoms of bipolar disorder are contained in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition published by the American Psychiatric Association). This, however, didn’t throw much light on things, because to quote the Manual itself, ‘it is produced for mental health specialists, its use by people without clinical training can lead to inappropriate application of its contents.’ Great.
Undeterred, I discovered that the symptoms of highs were elation, feeling invincible, irritated, being busy, talking fast, thinking fast, sleeplessness. My ‘depression’ was supposed to involve being dejected, pessimistic, taking no fun or joy out of life, having no energy, having poor concentration and/or believing I was bad to the core.
But my experience was something else altogether. I would get angry over nothing, very wound up and do drastic, frantic things such as try to run away from home, or tie a steak to the gate handle (weird, that one!) before trying to punch out my bewildered neighbor.
In between these times I would enjoy one to two month periods where I had tons of energy, plenty of great ideas. I wrote a short book during this time, and when I tired of typing I would push back the furniture and dance alone every night. I lost weight. I never complained about these times – after all, I was having a great time, achieving great things, and I’d dropped a dress size.
If it took a long time to be diagnosed, this was why. My symptoms were a mix of mania and depression. Most clinicians are looking for a classical picture of either elation or melancholia. But mixed states have elements of mania and depression at the same time. They have some colorful names such as ‘Black Mania’ and ‘Depression with Flight of Ideas.’
Mixed states are common, occurring in 40 to 50% of episodes, so in about half of cases, bipolar disorder is difficult even for experts to notice. This is one reason suggested to explain the long time it takes to diagnose bipolar disorder.
There are lists of typical bipolar symptoms available but they are invariably presented under the headings of ‘mania’ and ‘depression’. Manic symptoms include elation, feeling invincible, irritability, busy, talking fast, thinking fast and having lots of ideas, sleeplessness. Depressive symptoms include dejection, pessimism, getting no enjoyment from life, difficulty concentrating, lethargy, belief that ‘I am a bad person’ and so on.
If you consult these lists, feel free to identify with symptoms of both. The other factor with bipolar disorder is that people tend to self-medicate. Alcohol does have a moderating effect on manic symptoms and so it is not surprising that many people suffering from mania elect to drink. My great-grandfather, a typical manic depressive, drank ‘to still the mind.’ He was right, to a point.
If you’re looking on at someone who may have bipolar disorder but is obviously drinking, their symptoms will be exaggerated bipolar symptoms plus the usual symptoms of alcohol intoxication. Thus the aggression, abusiveness, abruptness of alcohol toxicity will complicate the manic symptoms, such as sleeplessness, irritability, pressure of speech and flight of ideas, social extraversion, and impulsiveness, for example.
If you or a friend sometimes has bouts of weird, frightening or over the top behavior, bipolar disorder could provide an explanation. There are some good screening tests available in the public domain, but to get a definite answer a proper medical assessment is required.
Bipolar disorder is not hard to recognise if you remember the symptoms, and that it comes in episodes of weeks to months; it may be complicated by alcohol or other drug use; and symptoms of depression and mania may occur at the same time.
For you or a friend to get a proper diagnosis, you’ll need to be organized. Record all the events that you think might be due to bipolar disorder, then give that information to a medical practitioner. What happens after that is up to the person with the symptoms.
If you have bi polar disorder bit.ly Check Out For Symptoms Of Bi Polar.
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Many bipolar sufferers are unaware that their condition exists. The initial symptoms of bipolar disorder, commonly known as manic depression, start to manifest during adolescence and can be triggered at any time.
Fortunately this disorder, thought to be a chemical brain imbalance, can be treated very successfully. The main concern is to spot the initial symptoms of bipolar early, so that an accurate diagnosis can be made and the appropriate treatment started.
If someone in your circle of family and friends has bipolar disorder, then you would already know the effect it has on their daily lives. Contrary to popular belief, individuals suffering with bipolar disorder are not always depressed and morose. The very nature of bipolar means that wild mood swings occur moving from high to low in a short space of time. These mood swings can be quite difficult to distinguish.
The illness is highly likely to recur frequently, affecting a person for their entire lifetime. The best long-term treatment is achieved by fostering and maintaining a strong support group. This of course is totally dependent on being able to spot the initial symptoms of bipolar disorder in the first place.
HOW TO SPOT DEPRESSION
Correctly identifying depression is a tricky exercise, and can baffle even the most experienced professional. One obvious sign of depression is a sad or anxious mood manifesting over an extended period. Another can be lack of motivation or desire to participate in activities which would normally be enjoyed by the person, for example hobbies, sex or social activities.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A MANIC EPISODE
The most noticeable behavior is a euphoric mood and increased level of energy. These characteristics are quite evident and easily noticed. Other signs include over generosity, spending sprees, hypersexuality (increased sex drive), loss of concentration, and grandiose feelings of invincibility.
SYMPTOMS OF PSYCHOSIS
In serious cases of bipolar disorder, the associated extreme mood swings can progress into psychosis symptoms, including delusions and hallucinations. While others can recognize psychosis quite easily, the patient is often unaware of them.
MIXED BIPOLAR STATES
Sometimes a mixed state of a bipolar disorder occurs, where the sufferer simultaneously experiences depression and mania. Symptoms often include sleep deficiency, appetite changes and agitation. Patients with mixed bipolar states can be extremely depressed but still possess high energy levels.
IDENTIFYING MORBID THOUGHTS
One of the most feared bipolar symptoms for the loved ones supporting a bipolar sufferer is the appearance of potentially morbid thoughts. Any suspicion that a patient is thinking morbidly and contemplating suicide should be acted upon immediately. In such cases a 911 emergency call should be made as a standard preventative measure. Better to be on the safe side than suffer a tragic suicide.
If the true nature of a person’s condition is to be revealed, recognizing the initial symptoms of bipolar is vitally important. Improper diagnosis can lead to a prolonged lifetime of suffering. All too often a patient seeks medical advice when suffering from depression, but they do not think it important to disclose their manic episodes. This is mainly because they feel good, and connect their manic periods with happiness and a normal state.
Research and study has now heightened awareness of this condition. More and more people are becoming educated and can recognize the initial symptoms of bipolar disorder. Information and guidance is now readily available through quality resources on reputable websites and from local mental health clinics.
How lucky we are to live in an age where the debilitating nature of such a condition can be halted by identifying the initial symptoms of bipolar early, allowing patients and their loved ones to lead normal, productive and healthy lives.
I discuss more residual symptoms of Bipolar Disorder and what they feel like. I’m still a YouTube newbie so please excuse any mistakes.
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Everyone lives with new challenges each day, which may affect the kind of person they become. Some people suffer enough that they are lead to believe there is no point in continuing with life. Sometimes, the reason for this bleak outlook comes from a psychological disorder, such as bipolar. Most people who have bipolar conditions know that this will have a major impact in their daily life. This kind of disorder develops in the late adolescence or early adulthood. However, there are also children that have been identified as having it.
Bipolar disorder is the given name to describe a set of ‘mood swing’ conditions that is felt by a person. The most severe form of it is called ‘manic depression’. This disorder may affect both sexes. However, women who have it will usually have more episodes of depression, while men are more prone to begin with manic episodes. Doctors stated that the disorder has no single cause. It has been shown that some people are genetically prone to it. However, not everyone with hereditary liability develops it. We must take note that not only genes cause it. It also believed that external environment and psychological factors are involved in developing the illness.
Bipolar disorder is divided into several types and each has different patterns of symptoms. These include: bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia, rapid cycling, and mixed bipolar. Bipolar I disorder is the more severe disorder. People with type I experience longer ‘highs’ and have psychotic experiences while those who are suffering from bipolar II disorder have less severe symptoms. They experience episodes that only last hours or few days and the severity of the ‘highs’ does not lead to hospitalization. Cyclothymia is a mild form of the disorder. Those who have cyclothymia tend to have more mild symptoms than with full-blown bipolar disorder. About 10% of people with bipolar illness have rapid cycling. In rapid cycling, four or more episodes of depression in a year occur. In most forms of bipolar conditions, moods vary between elevated and depressed but with mixed bipolar disorder, a person experiences both mania and depression simultaneously.
Each type of bipolar disorder may affect different people differently. The symptoms vary in pattern and severity. The disorder was commonly referred to as a part of depression but experts recommend that there are significant differences between depression and bipolar symptoms. Symptoms of bipolar disorder can spoil job and school performance, ruin your relationships with loved ones and disrupt daily life. Although bipolar is treatable, many people do not recognize the symptoms and should know that it tends to worsen without treatment. Thus it is essential to know the symptoms and to have the proper treatment. The first step to lessen bipolar problems is to learn more about the disorder and recognize those are experiencing it. Some doctors recommended that medication can prevent episodes but more varied treatment can be better than medication. Medication alone is not enough to fully control the illness. Bipolar requires long-term treatment because it is a chronic illness.
Study shows that if you are free from stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance, you are less likely to suffer. Most of all, surround yourself with friends that you can turn to, who will help and encourage you. A psychiatrist can also help find a way between the twists and turns that you feel. Suicidal thoughts and behavior are common among people with bipolar disorder. To get rid of these thoughts, first contact a family member or your loved ones and seek help from your doctors. The most effective treatment strategy for bipolar treatment involves a combination of medication, therapy and a lifestyle change. The goal of treatment is to recover from the longer disruptions of life.
Dealing with bipolar disorder isn’t easy but to have a successful treatment, you have to make smart choices. If you ignore the illness, it will certainly get worse. Living with untreated bipolar disorder can lead to troubles in relations and career. Anti-depressants do not help people with the disorder in the long term. In fact, they may even trigger rapid cycling between moods. If you feel helpless and hopeless you should remember that you are not alone.
What do the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in children look like? Watch HealthyPlace.com Medical Director, Dr. Harry Croft, who also explains who to take your child to, to get an accurate Bipolar diagnosis. Video Rating: 0 / 5
