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The different types of Bipolar Disorder |
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The different types of Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder Author: Dr Edward F.Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN
Bipolar disorder (also referred to as manic-depressive disorder) is a medical condition that causes extreme mood changes. The person may return to a normal mood between extreme changes. These mood changes appear suddenly without reason or cause. Bipolar disorder is common and occurs equally among males and females. Over 3 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder. But gender can play a role in how the illness first appears and whether it is correctly diagnosed. In men, the first bipolar episode tends to be a manic one, but women usually start with a depressive episode. As a result, many women with bipolar disorder are mistakenly given a diagnosis of clinical, or "unipolar," depression-a condition more common in women than men. Bipolar disorder often begins between the ages of 15 and 24. But there can be a huge range: Some people show symptoms in early childhood. Others may not have their first manic or depressive episode until they're in their forties or fifties. Bipolar disorder causes extreme moods, from feeling overly energetic (mania) to feeling very sad or having low energy (Depression). Each episode of mania or depression changes a person's energy level, thought process, and behavior, and can last for hours, weeks, or several months.
With
bipolar there are two "poles" to consider: mania and depression. These
periods of highs and lows are also called manic and depressive
"episodes." If you suffer from bipolar, you will have manic episodes
where your mood soars and your mind races. There may be days where you
may not be able to sleep, and you can overestimate your abilities. In
periods of depression, just getting out of bed can be a major challenge.
You may find concentrating difficult and you may lose interest in
everything you like to do. Some people also experience what's known as a
"mixed episode," where symptoms of depression accompany the mania. There are four different forms of bipolar disorder:
Each
of the two phases of bipolar disorder, mania and depression, has its own
set of symptoms-although some people may have a "mixed episode," in
which they have manic and depressive symptoms at the same time. The
severity of the symptoms can vary from person to person-and can change
as the illness progresses.
Bipolar depression is more than just having the blues. A person in the midst of a major depressive episode experiences extreme sadness or numbness almost all day, every day, for at least two weeks. Or they may show a loss of interest in or enjoyment from their favorite activities. In addition, the person shows the following symptoms:
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness related to an imbalance of brain
chemicals called neurotransmitters. Stress and other environmental
factors can trigger manic and depressive episodes, but they do not cause
the disease-bipolar disorder is a biological illness.
One parent is bipolar. Then each child has a 15%-30% chance of developing the condition. When both parents have the illness, the risk jumps to between 50% and 75%. If you have a brother or sister with bipolar disorder, you have a 15% to 25% chance of developing the illness. When a person has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, any serious event or illness can bring on episodes of mania or depression. These so-called "triggers" include:
The
symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents can often be
from other diseases or conditions that occur at these ages. For example,
the disease may be misdiagnosed as attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD); in both illnesses, children exhibit distractibility,
aggressiveness, and destructive tantrums.
Related Site: Treatments Treatments Programs:
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