Description of Bipolar

Symptoms of bipolar manic disorder include sleeplessness, high energy levels, having large plans for activities, restlessness, talkativeness and uneasiness. Symptoms of bipolar depression are low energy with negative feelings like hopelessness, guilt, anxiety, and appetite loss. A patient might have many of these symptoms daily. The symptoms typically happen throughout the late teenage or early grown up years. The majority of patients begin having the symptoms at approximately twenty five years old. According to statistics, females are 3X more likely to have bipolar episodes than males are. The NIMH additionally says that a family history of the disorder might make an individual’s risk of having these symptoms higher.

Diagnosis

Physical examinations, interview, lab tests like blood work and brain scans and evaluation of the patient’s medical history is involved in the first step in diagnosis. The doctor may provide referral to a trained mental health specialist such as a psychiatrist, who is more experienced in handling bipolar disorder after a complete diagnostic evaluation. Extremely important in helping bipolar sufferers lead a normal life is proper and immediate diagnosis. To reduce the frequency or severity of the symptoms, it will also help provide the right kind of treatment.

Treatment

A mixture of psychotherapy and medicines are typically suggested to efficiently stop relapse and bipolar episodes. Mood stabilizers, anti psychotic medications, and atypical anti psychotic things might be prescribed for bipolar individuals. They’re typically prescribed by a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist. In a few instances, sedatives or sleep medicines are suggested to patients who have difficulty with sleep. “Talk therapy” or “psychotherapy” offers guidance, education, and support for bipolar individuals in addition to their families. This involves various approaches like social rhythm therapy and psychological education, family concentrated therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and interpersonal therapy.

Caution

There are other illnesses that may coexist with bipolar manic depressive disorder, making it more difficult to diagnose and treat. Substance abuse is may prolong or trigger bipolar symptoms and cause behavioral problems associated with bipolar manic disorder. Anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress, social phobia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may overlap with bipolar disorder. Also, people suffering this condition have higher risks of developing thyroid disease, migraine headaches, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other physical illnesses. Hence, seeking professional help upon experiencing symptoms of bipolar depressive or bipolar manic disorder is advised.

Ken P Doyle has vast amounts of knowledge and experience in mental health issues. For additionalinformation on bipolar manic depressive disorder or bipolar manic disorder, check out his website today.

categories: Bipolar,disorder,support,children,symptoms,health,illness,families,sickness,drugs,education,wellness

Bipolar Manic Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Affective Disorder, Manic Depression, Bipolar Affective Disorder and Disorder + bipolar is a mood and emotional disorder which is caused by an imbalance of chemical in the brain. These chemical imbalances than causes uncommon shifting (bipolar) of an individuals moods, energy level, and everyday function. These unusual disorder +bipolar( mood swings) could range from severe happiness to complete despair or hopelessness. These feelings can change very quickly for some people and stay on for long periods of time with others. One thing that must be pointed out here is, it is not the normal ups and downs that we go through every day. These disorder + bipolar victims up and down are severe, while they are happy that are very, very happy with lots of energy and while down (depressed) they are really down with no energy.

The Question of ” Who?

This disorder affects both men and women and children diagnosed at 5 years have been seen to be having the symptoms at 2. While bipolar manic disorder might appear different in children than in adults, it usually occurs more often with people whose relatives have the disorder running in their families.

The Disorder “+”

While some people experience the most severe form of bipolar disorder, with severe ups and downs, there are also milder versions of the disorder, which have varying symptoms. Some bipolar patients experience only hypo mania, with a lesser severity of manic symptoms, and without accompanying depressive symptoms. Other patients experience hypo mania and very slight episodes of depression.

Cyclothymia: It is a milder disorder which includes periods of hypomania and very mild depression ” less bipolar (mood swings).

Hypo mania: These people experience mania but not the extreme of mania of bipolar manic symptoms. It is sometimes referred to as the middle ground of disorder + bipolar.

Mania is a mood disorder characterized by high energy, bursts of extreme happiness, and episodes of equally extreme misery. Mania results in feelings of intense stimulation, and is the positive half of bipolar disorder. However, mania has been known to ruin friendships and result in large personal debts, among other problems. Denial is a common response to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

Depression: What is extraordinary about this depression is, it’s the brain making its own lows with feelings of worry, sadness, anger, guilt, isolation and hopeless condition.

Mixed state: This is when the two main phases mania and depression overlap each other. These two bipolar manic symptoms can occur at the same time or in quick succession one after the other other.

Treating Disorder + Bipolar

These disorder may cause sleeping and eating problems with the body always tired and unable to do activities once enjoyed. Because of its low energy, the lack of sexual activities and lack of action or motivation are some obvious signs to look out for. Mixed state: There are times when the two main phases manic and symptoms of depression overlap each other. The two bipolar manic symptoms either occur at the same time or in quick succession of each other.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by thoughts and mood disorders with long periods of depression followed by manic mood episodes. Depending on each individual, periods of depression or mania may last from just a few months to one whole year. Bipolar manic is sometimes referred to as mania or hypo mania (much lesser form of mania). In the hypo mania state, patients may be irritable, oversensitive and have an extremely elevated mood. Those people associated with bipolar mania have large-scale plans, be involved in several projects all at once and extremely talkative. One of the high risk factors for manic victims is the use of alcohol or cocaine for self medication.

The use of Anti-Psychotic Drugs

The main symptoms for those with bipolar manic is the accompaniment of psychotic thoughts, which can lead to very severe emotional responses and judgment problems which can render patients unable to communicate. These thoughts may get out of control and so manic patients may be prescribed mood stabilizing medication to control their manic symptoms. These medications include:

Clorazil : Was first used in Europe in 1971 for the treatment of schizophrenia. One of the first antipsychotic drug to be found.

Risperdal: Developed by Janssen-Cilag and was first sold in the Netherlands under this market name. It is an antipsychotic drug for the treatment of schizophrenia. Later used to mixed and mania episodes and children with autism problem.

Zyprexa: A combination of two drugs fluoxetine Symbyax and FDA approved for antipsychotic and treatment of schizophrenia and later for the treatment of bipolar.

First Line Treatments

The recent practice guidelines, for many doctors the first-line of treatment for severe bipolar manic episodes are:

Lithium: A chemical salts and used as a mood stabilizing drug primarily for bipolar mania.

Valproate: A lithium salts is believed reverse the brain process and affect the function of the neurotransmitter. Used in bipolar treatment to stop or block transamination of GABA.

Monotherapy: HAS been approved by FDA for treating bipolar manic and bipolar I victims

Family as a Therapy

Many people who are with a bipolar manic or with depressive episodes, forget that a family-focused therapy can be quite effective for bipolar patients. Bad blood running within family members can make bipolar manic states worse. All family members must help contribute by trying to manage their individual behaviors so as to reduce a catalyst for the symptom to come back. The main aim of this bipolar treatment -family therapy is members are alert to the signs and symptoms and how they can handle it properly when the signs appear.

Dialectal Behavior – Therapy

First begun by Dr. Marsha Linehan for bipolar patients going through the different stages of bipolar. This therapy can hopefully lead patients taking some control of their behaviors. Learning to accept and control thought patterns is the main focus for this kind of therapy.

The first stage goals is to include reducing behaviors which are self-threatening like being suicidal and other bipolar manic behaviors that obstruct with bipolar treatment. For bipolar manic patients, they can build on these stages but it requires skill training for bipolar patients.

A distressing feeling in the mind, emotional pain can be experienced through the loss of someone we love so much. These emotional experiences can arise from the mind causing depression, fear of something, anxiety, guilt or disappointment . These traumatic experiences for those reliving or the replay of these past traumas can become crippling. These can effect moods, our relationship with others, professional and our personal life. One of the worst things about these experiences is it occupies the mind for a long time. As we will see later those with bipolar disorder symptoms are quite different in their experiences of this emotional pain.

Emotional Pain and the Causes

A lot of people go through traumatic experiences during their childhood years and these can be due to a number of factors like physical abuse, being neglected, abandoned by parents, or the loss of a loved one. With adults, emotional pain can be due to the end or the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship like divorce, the loss of the source of income, becoming a victim in a violent crime and substance abuse. Most often when severe trauma has been endured, victims can be continuously inhabited by bad dreams and constant nightmares. In the case of war or rape victims mental images can be experienced on a daily basis.

Deep Emotional Pain in Bipolar

To the point it is hurting they can hardly move, these emotional pain experienced by bipolar victims can be very deep. These experiences can be compared to someone putting a knife through you. It is quite a deep, deep pain which can last from a few minutes to several hours and suddenly go out of the scene for no obvious reason. This very severe feeling of being alienated may also accompany this deep emotional pain.

Bipolar Depression and Past Traumas

Most of our past traumas is kept in our unconscious mind and a lot of people believe that this emotional pain is caused by low self-image, self hatred, deep shame, anxiety, guilt and all these come out during bipolar depression. All of these negative emotions and thoughts, is believed may contribute greatly to the depressive and manic episodes.

Parting Words

It is important we take this pain very seriously and do not put it aside because this emotional pain can lead some people to commit suicide. While some people can go without drugs and live a normal life, the use of medications can be necessary. In the midst of a very bad crisis, the use of bipolar medications can be the safest and quickest way to bringing the victims back to normal life. It is good to understand that all present and past traumas can play a part in forming this emotional instability. Those with bipolar symptoms cannot be traced back to an event, these pains seem to come from nowhere and stop all of a sudden.

Most doctors are on a dilemma especially in regards to pregnant women with symptoms of bipolar disorder, because of two things – possible harm of the drugs to the unborn baby and the risk of the episode coming back if the mother decides against taking her bipolar drugs. Some doctors have the difficult task of choosing between the baby and the mother.

Recent Studies

It has been published in the 2007 December American Journal of Psychiatry, that it is possible for bipolar returning due to short interval in pharmacotherapy. It has been warned by the study that pregnant women with the illness who stop taking their drugs may suffer severely when the bipolar symptoms return.

Colleagues at the Emory University and Harvard Medical School have observed a study of 89 bipolar women. These women were either pregnant or planning to get pregnant, of those studied more than 2/3s of those taking part stopped their drug medications for bipolar disorder during the six months period and 3 months after conception. The one third ( 27) continued on 12 weeks of their medications after they have conceived. From those who stopped their medication therapy, compared with women who did not discontinue taking their stabilizers 3 months after conception , the difference can be clearly seen.

Result of Discontinuing

In the study of those women who decided to stop their drug intake their chance of the symptoms recurring doubled. These pregnant women spent about 40% of their time with the either mania or depressive symptoms compared to less than 10% who kept with their medicines and acted normally.

The Mother or the Baby

According to Freeman, “By the time a woman discovers she is pregnant, the most serious period of risk for the baby fetus has frequently already passed.” Stopping medication at this time even for a short period can pose very grievous risk rather than act as a protection for the baby fetus.

Untreated Bipolar -Risks

Pregnant women with bipolar symptoms can go into prenatal care risks, with nutrition problem for both her and the fetus, if bipolar are not treated. Relapses often has occurred with episodes which can be both dangerous for the baby and mother. When not treated, alcohol consumption and tobacco use increases, mother and child attachment is disrupted, and great stress to the family. Behavioral and emotional difficulty risks has been seen with children with depressed mothers.

Mood stabilizers and it’s Risks

Most mood stabilizers pose high risks for birth deficiency. According to Food and Drug Administration classification, divalproex and lithium fall in the category D drugs for pregnancy which can cause both abnormalities and cardiovascular problems in the baby.

Finally

Bipolar patients may be required to continue their drug intake even when they are pregnant. Bipolar women do go into high risk when they are pregnant. We have given some light at least into why you should take bipolar drugs when you are pregnant, for it is a smaller risk to take as the end result.

Most parents learn the art of parenting skills before their very first child. These parents are taught beforehand but when their child is met with a symptoms they do not know or understand, most parents press the panic button. Believing that it is an attitude problem that must be controlled whatever the cost, verbally or physically abusing their child. Bipolar symptoms may come out gradually or appear suddenly in a child with known cases of bipolar children diagnosed as young as age 5.

Not in the Definition

There has been intensive research done on this mental disease. We now are able to know more about this illness and also understand that children and adolescents can contract bipolar disorder without reason. Bipolar disease can be defined as, the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood referred to as mania or, if milder, hypo mania. But some others especially with severe mood swings might not meet the textbook definition because they do not have a distinct episodes or clear periods of wellness between each mood swings. Researchers have not come to a decision yet whether children with chronic annoyance and clear mood swings, but without mania, should be named bipolar.

Only Knowing

When the DSM-IV was first published in 1994, the entire focus was on adult-symptoms, that is why little is known about children and adolescent bipolar. Only later that intensive research developments in every area of science, especially the brain, have answers been answered and doors to new questions which was not even there before are raised. This illness sometimes has less visible, but serious, mental, chemical reactions, and heart effects, and on the surface the visible symptoms happen to be behavioral.

Why Its Difficult to Diagnose

Because it is a neurodevelopment disorder which is accompanied by other psychiatric disorder symptoms, the disorder does not affect every child in the same way. This is due to parts of the brain maturing at different rates and times and some brain maturation are not complete until adulthood age 25 years or so. It is a known fact that symptoms and diagnosis of a psychiatric illness may change as the child grows older. Many doctors have found it difficult to have an accurate diagnosis of a child or teen presenting with severely troubled behaviors, which can be a big problem issue facing families now.

The Reality

While some people have no cure for their disorder, there are others who have been managed. We hope that genetic discoveries will add more light to more accurate diagnosing, better treatments, and perhaps a cure for this dreaded disease. Parents must always, be prepared for the worst but expect the best, because not every bipolar child will react the same way on medication. The ultimate truth is what works for some may not work for others.

Be Ready in mind and Body

Families of children or adolescent with the disorder must expect the unexpected and learn where the road ahead may lead them to. Developing strategies and emergency plans while staying flexible and positive in the present is important. And network with other parents, because it may be the only way of keeping you mentally sound.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive illness, is a serious mood disorder that affects approximately one percent of Americans. Though many people focus on the depressive episodes associated with the illness, it’s important to note that bipolar mania requires just as much attention and support.

Symptoms of Bipolar Mania and What are they.

Bipolar mania is, essentially, the opposite of depression. Some of the common symptoms include increased energy, decreased need for sleep, rapid speech, euphoria, hypersexuality, and impulsiveness. Many people experiencing bipolar mania can be described as “hyper active.”

Racing thoughts, which can be disjointed, is a common symptom not always noticeable by family or friends. Easily distracted, even by things that seem not important, patients can often be seen in conversations with people suffering from the same symptom. Bipolar mania patient will make “clang associations,” which is the association of words based on how they sound and jump from topic to topic quickly.

The impulsiveness associated with bipolar mania can be dangerous in some cases. Patients have impaired judgment, and may not think about the consequences of their actions. Impulsiveness can lead to reckless and risky behavior that may even endanger the patient, or others. Because of this, bipolar support groups are important in the treatment and management of bipolar mania.

What Support is there for Bipolar Mania?

Beneficial to those struggling with bipolar mania is having access to a bipolar support group. Through a support group patients are able to relate to others in the group and they in turn help him/her put feelings, decisions, and thoughts into perspective. In addition to seeing a psychiatrist or counselor on a regular basis, support groups are incorporated into the regular psychotherapy for the treatment of manic depressive illness of bipolar.

Usually bipolar support groups are comprised of patients and led by a counselor or psychiatrist who facilitates meetings, gets patients talking, and offers expert advice about comments and questions that come up. These groups can be a “sounding board” for patients, and a place for them to be reminded that many of the decisions they’re making are because of the illness instead of how they really feel.

Many people know about the support they can get for bipolar depression. Unfortunately, because they feel “good” when manic, they don’t seek the support they need, and this can be just as dangerous as avoiding help when depressed. Bipolar support groups offer great resources for anyone suffering from bipolar depression or bipolar mania.

How to get more information about bipolar.

One very valuable website is knowingbipolardisorder.com, with lots of information available about bipolar mania and bipolar support groups. It is an authority site in educating the public on manic depressive illness and other helpful topics for patients, friends and family to able cope with the disease.

Depending on who you talk to, some terminologies people use to call bipolar by are bipolar disease, bipolar illness, bipolar disorder, bipolar symptoms and medical condition or morbidity.

What is disease in General?

The meaning of a disease according the English Dictionary, A pathological or medical condition of mind or body, A disease which is infectious has the presence of pathogenic microbial agents, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, prions which are a known abnormal protein protozoa and multicellular parasites. Not considered a disease if an infection does not cause a clinicall impairment of normal functioning. Of all forms of non infectious disease the most popular are cancer, disease caused by genes and heart disease.

To be Clinically Impaired

One of the most obvious signs and growing evidence of adolescents hit with bipolar disease, is they are mentally impaired, even during periods of symptom remission. Falling in the impairments category like Alzheimer dementia and schizophrenia bipolar disease is not physically severe.

Mentally Impaired

A big number of patients complain of neuropsychological problems (a psychological processes and overt behaviors linked to the brain). And it is not clear how common are adolescent who are mentally impaired by bipolar diseases. There is a possibility that neuropsychological impairments may be more widespread, because adolescent bipolar sufferers do not complain of cognitive or mental problems.

Time Frame

Is there a time frame for each episode to occur in a person with bipolar disease? Because all of us are different each person will experience bipolar symptoms differently. This bipolar disease can last from a few minutes to one whole year with some experiencing “normalcy”, which is a lack of problematic symptoms. It can go from manic to calm to depressive to calm again. For some it can be 2 days manic than 3 to 4 weeks all good calm and normal and 5 days depressing and 1 week of calm and normal again. Other Individuals can experience a transition from one episode to the next without a symptom-free period. Or others periods of double or mixed episodes in which symptoms of depression and mania are either present.

Tips to Adhere to

1 . Alcohol: because it can inflate bipolar you must take great care.

2. Promiscuity: Sexual thoughts to acting out can be high to very high especially when in the manic episode.

3. Medication: It is not easy for doctors to find the right combination of drugs ” do not be disheartened.

4. Suicidal: For some it is the only way out of the situation. Look for injuries especially cuttings on the body.

5. Forcing: Always be gentle with bipolar patients ” forcing them to do something they do not want can be catastrophic.

6. Clarity: The clearer the symptoms revealed to doctors the easier for them to diagnose.

Disheartening

Symptoms of bipolar can overlap for many mental health conditions. People with adolescent bipolar disease have to be amazingly strong because the darkness that sometimes wells up out of people struggling with bipolar illness can be overpowering. Hopes, dreams and love can be shattered just by watching the person you love melt away and replaced by a completely different person.

Finally

Bipolar disease can be controlled but cannot be cured. It is important that adolescents suffering from this bipolar disease and their families be surrounded by a good support network in those difficult times. Besides having a support group, medication must be taken at times allotted so the disease does not add stress to others and also break up existing strained relationships.

Most of us are familiar with bipolar in general but not many know or have any idea about bipolar 2 or type 2 and its symptoms. According to the definition of (DSM-IV), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, type 2 disorders comprise of one or more highly persistent depressions accompanied by at least one hypomania or elevated mood. One of the key differences between disorder 1 and 2 is that the latter reaches only the level of hypomania but not the mania episodes. If you experience severe manic episodes you are probably in category one.

Headache

Many doctors get confused when diagnosing the disease, because its boundaries are immense. Practitioners can often be mixed up with the different symptoms they encounter. At times just dealing with one patient, symptoms can go from mania to mixed feelings with a lot of people going from type 1 to 2 without fitting into any one. When doctor misdiagnose a patient they end up either under or over medicated which can make them dopey or down.

Hypomania and its Symptoms

Shifting to a full manic state or depression cycle, hypomania is a part of bipolar disorder. The only good thing about this disorder is they do not get themselves into the kind of serious trouble that a bipolar mania do. With behaviors hovering on the edge of being unacceptable, they tend to call attention to themselves a lot. People with the symptoms can be highly humorous, entertaining and very pleasant people to be with, but they can quickly be hostile and irritating. Feeling fatigued or distressed is the hallmark of staying too long with a person with hypomania symptoms.

Rating yourself using a Chart

Try and rate yourself every chance you get with a mood chart say from 10 to 1, 10 is the high of the highest (mania) and one being lowest of low (depression). The number 5 is when you’re feeling normal and not experiencing either depression or mania. Only rate yourself at least once a day when your mind is clear and also important to take note of what medication you took and at what time of the day because like most bipolar patients it can be hard to remember. Rating your mood swings 2 to 3 times a day can be ideal for the doctors to have an idea of where your mood is swinging. Always look for past behaviors compared to the ones you’re going through. Keep up your mood chart for a while say 4 to 5 days and the result can be given to your doctor to determine the best medication for you.

Other Information

Read up from pamphlets available at your local mental health centers if you want to know more about what symptoms you are going through. The internet also has a lot of information on bipolar, its treatments and online support.

Some terminologies used by people to call bipolar are a medical condition or morbidity, bipolar disease, bipolar illness, bipolar disorder and bipolar symptoms.

What is a Disease?

The meaning of a disease according the English Dictionary, A pathological or medical condition of mind or body, A disease which is infectious has the presence of pathogenic microbial agents, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, prions which are a known abnormal protein protozoa and multicellular parasites. Not considered a disease if an infection does not cause a clinicall impairment of normal functioning. Of all forms of non infectious disease the most popular are cancer, disease caused by genes and heart disease.

Clinically Impaired

Even during periods of symptom remission, one of the most obvious signs and growing evidence of adolescents hit with bipolar disease is the mental impairments. Not as severe Bipolar disease falls in the impairments category like Alzheimer dementia and schizophrenia.

Cognitive impairment

It is unclear how common mental impairment among adolescent bipolar diseases happens. Quite a big number of people complain of neuropsychological problems (a psychological processes and overt behaviors linked to the brain). It is believed that because adolescent bipolar sufferers do not complain of mental problems, there is a possibility that these mental impairments may be more widespread.

Time Frame

There is no time frame for each episode of bipolar. Each person will experience this ongoing illness differently which can go from manic to calm to depressive to calm again. For some it can be 2 days manic than 3 to 4 weeks all good calm and normal and 5 days depressing and 1 week of calm and normal again. Other Individuals can experience periods of double or mixed episodes in which symptoms of depression and mania are either present, or a person may transit from one episode to the next without a symptom-free period. This bipolar disease can last from a few minutes to one whole year with some experiencing “normalcy”, which is a lack of problematic symptoms.

Important Tips

1.Alcohol: Take extra precaution with liquor or drugs.

2. Promiscuity: Sexual thoughts to acting out can be high to very high especially when in the manic episode.

3. Medication: It is not easy for doctors to find the right combination of drugs ” do not be disheartened.

4. Suicidal: Especially when depressed patients will tend to be thinking of death and be suicidal.

5. Forcing: When patients refuse to do anything do not force them or you may be faced with an angry person.

6. Clarity: The clearer the symptoms revealed to doctors the easier for them to diagnose.

Heart Breaking

For many mental health conditions, symptoms of bipolar can overlap. A lot of people with adolescent bipolar disease have to be amazingly strong. The darkness that sometimes wells up out of people struggling with bipolar illness can be incredible. But even more difficult is the sharing of hopes, dreams and love with someone like this and then watching the person you love melt away and replaced by a completely different stranger.

Finally

Bipolar disease cannot be cured but it can be controlled. For those adolescents suffering from this bipolar disease it is important they and their families be surrounded by a good support network in those difficult times. More importantly, medication must be taken at times allotted so the disease does not add stress to others and also break up existing strained relationships.