Know All About Bi-Polar Disorder

Manic depression and bipolar affective disorder are both synonyms to the condition, widely known as the bipolar disorder. The condition is a mental disorder which is characterized by episodes of moods changes/ elevation and recurring periods of depression.

The condition earns the name manic-depressive illness from the fact that the shifts in the moods of the patient are highly unusual and also affect the individual’s ability to carry out daily chores. To know more about bi-polar order, its sigs, causes and its treatment refer to the information below.

Signs of Bi-polar Condition

The signs and symptoms that point towards the bi-polar disorder are as follows:

Those suffering from the disorder are found to experience intense emotions marked by distinct episodes of high emotional behavior, also referred to as- ‘mood episodes’.

When experiencing one of the mood episodes the individual acts overly excited or overly joyous- referred to as the manic episode; or the individual may be in an extremely hopeless/ sad state- referred to as a depressive episode.

In bi-polar disorder, the patient can exhibit either the depressive signs or the manic signs.

Under the behavioral signs, the individual may start to talk at a high speed (manic), might be jumpy and have racing thoughts.

The individual can also be tired (depressive) or may slow down in comparison to their normal self.

Bi-polar disorder symptoms also include irritable mind frame and extremely restless behavior.

For many of those suffering from the disorder, there have been drastic shifts in eating and sleeping habits.

The individual may also start to have unusual and unrealistic belief.

Some patients also experience extremely depressed emotions which may lead them to think of death and even attempt of committing suicide.

In some cases, a patient can experience both manic and depressive emotions together. This is referred to as mixed state.

The patients also have trouble sleeping, trouble following one chain of thought.

Another symptom of the disorder is that the patient may have irrational delusions and can even have hallucinations.

Causes

The most common causes of the disorder are-

Genetics

For most part the bi-polar disorder is said to run in the families. Also as per researches, individuals with certain types of genes are more susceptible to developing bipolar disorder.

Brain Structure

Some people with this disorder have been recorded to have physical differences in the brain structure. This has been pointed as a cause of the disorder.

Neurotransmitters

An individual may have an imbalance in the chemicals which naturally occur in the brain. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters, and they play a very significant role in mood and bipolar disorders.

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

For most patients they have to begin with the medication meant to balance out their mood. Once the mood conditions are in control the doctors proceed with the next course of medication.

The treatment for bipolar disorder goes for the lifetime of the patient. Even in the times the patient feels better, he/ she must have the medication.