An Article On The Journal Of Family Practice

“Bipolar disorder, also commonly known as manic depression, is defined as a serious mental illness in which common emotions become intensely and often unpredictably magnified. Individuals with bipolar disorder can quickly alternate from extremes of happiness, energy and clarity to sadness, fatigue and confusion. All people with bipolar disorder have manic episodes abnormally elevated or irritable moods that last at least a week and impair functioning. But not all become depressed ” (American Psychological Association, 2015). Bipolar disorder can vary in each individual. The symptoms fluctuate in pattern, severity and rate of recurrence. Some people are more susceptible to either mania or depression, while others change proportionately between the two types of episodes. Some have frequent mood disruptions, while others live through a few throughout their lifetime.

How does a person get bipolar disorder? Not any specific gene has identified being a cause of the disorder, instead it seems that many genes together and the way they combine with others factors in the person’s life can cause bipolar disorder (Woman’s Health Update, 2010). Team B’s presentation clearly set the record straight on if a person with bipolar is born with the disease or if the disease runs in the family. Studies have shown that the main contributing factors for a person developing bipolar disorder is environmental influences, genetics, and his or her brain chemistry.

Bipolar disorder also known as manic depression has always been a mystery since the 16th century. History has shown that it can appear in almost everyone. Bipolar disorder causes mood swings in energy, thinking, and other behavior. Having a bipolar disorder can be very disabling (Kapczinski). A study was evaluated and about 1.3% of the U.S population of people suffers from bipolar disorder. Stressors and environmental influences can trigger and cause a person to go through numerous episodes. Bipolar disorder is characterized according to the severity of the stages. According to Kapczinski, there are four different stages that a person with bipolar disorder can experience. The prognosis of a disorder is different in each particular patient

Bipolar is a disorder that has a severe impact on everyone that is around the person diagnosed. While the individual may suffer from the disorder the most, others are right there with them. As of yet most scientists tend to agree that there’s no single cause for the bipolar disorder to form in an individual. There are many different types of bipolar and each type has different symptoms.

Don’t get me wrong bipolar disorder is not that black and white, it’s not either mania or depressive. The cycles vary in severity depending on how frequently the person cycles and how extreme the cycles are. Some people living with the disorder are more on the mania side where everything sounds like a good idea, sounds fun; I guess it could be compared to feeling like nothing can go wrong. On the other hand, most people are more on the depressive side. Some people live with both at the same time switching between the two to make mixed episodes. People living with bipolar disorder can only have a few episodes over their entire

Scientist studying bipolar disorder don't really know what causes this illness. Researchers state that if a parent or sibling have bipolar disorder it is passed down in genes to their children. Another one of the causes might be having abnormal brain structure and brain function. It is also said that if the child or adult have anxiety problems they are more likely to develop this disorder. There

After watching the PBS Frontline films, I wanted to see what information there is about bipolar and what do people think cause it. What I found was that doctors do not really know what causes it, but they do believe that it seems to run in families and how it could partly be caused by the brain circuits and neurotransmitters having problems. There are three chemicals in the brain, which are noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine, that are involved with the function of the body and the brain (Webmd). When anyone of these are damaged it can result in the person having mental or mood disorders. There have been studies that show that people who have certain genes can get bipolar disorder and pass them on to their family. There has also been research

Bipolar disorder has effective treatment modalities: Bipolar disorder is treated with medications, called mood stabilizers, to assist in controlling fluctuation in moods. The important thing to understand about bipolar disorder is that it is a life-long, recurring illness requiring ongoing care. In addition to medication, psychotherapy is also prescribed in the management of the illness. Psychotherapy assists people to understand their illness and to develop coping skills to help deal with life events and stressors that may trigger manic and depressive episodes.

Bipolar disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is “a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels,” and

Because Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder, the causes are unknown. (Bipolar Disorder) Even though they don’t know the root of the illness, doctors have found reasons that could have contribution. One of these would be genetics and its most common with people who have relatives that have already been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Also, after research doctors have discovered that patients with bipolar disorder seem to have physical deviations with their brains. Another factor could be a chemical imbalance with neurotransmitters. They also have discovered that stress, alcohol, and drugs could also initiate the first manic episode. (Mayo Clinic)

Where and how bipolar disorder is caused is still a bit of a mystery. Some information is known but nothing concrete, and a lot of dead ends. Genetic predisposition is one possible cause for bipolar disorder. The disease usually can be seen throughout a family tree of an affected individual. Twin studies have been conducted to see if there is a higher chance of identical twins, who have the same genetic make up, both getting the disease. These have shown that there is an increased likely hood of one twin to have bipolar disorder if the other has it, but it is not a certainty. The gene for bipolarity has mainly been traced to chromosome 18 as well as some others. It is uncertain which is responsible because it has been found in some cases that chromosome 18 is unaffected in bipolar patients. It is most likely that bipolar disorder is linked

At least 2 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder, more commonly known as manic-depression. This illness usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. Although it may come into affect at any time, most individuals with the disorder experience their first mood episode in their 20’s. However, manic-depression quite often strike teenagers and has been diagnosed in children under 12.