Bipolar Disorder : A Brief Overview

“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.

Bipolar I disorder is defined as ”manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks” (NIMH.org 2015). Symptoms need to last 7 days or have manic symptoms so severe that the person needs

Bipolar disorder otherwise known as, manic-depression illness of the brain that causes two different types of bipolar. According to which disorder, each has the opposite effects both includes; extreme mood swings highs and lows. Symptoms for Bipolar I or rather Manic Bipolar, are little need for sleep, constantly hyper, too talkative, and mind races. Other times one diagnosed with this disorder may feel extremely sad, empty, worthless, and unsure of one’s self. Bipolar disorder II, known as depressant bipolar, the person may feel an unbearable

The mood disorder of bipolar is a roller coaster of high and low emotions. Bipolar has many different components and can manifest as either Bipolar I or Bipolar ( Oltmanns & Emery, 2015) Bipolar I is described as having one manic episode. ( Oltmanns & Emery ,2015) Mania is a disturbance in mood characterized by symptoms as elation, higher self-esteem, hyperactivity and expedited thought process. (Oltmanns & Emery, 2015) To have Bipolar II, a person must have at least one depressive episode and a mild manic episode. A depressive episode includes hypomania meaning in bipolar II a person will not have a full blown manic episode. (Oltmanns & Emery, 2015) People who have bipolar have a tough time with their emotions, because their emotions are not stable. They oftentimes feel like they are on an emotional roller-coaster because of the erratic ups and downs ( Oltmanns & Emery 2015)

The different types of bipolar disorder include bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic disorder, mixed bipolar, and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. All involve episodes of depression and mania to a degree. Each type is defined by length, frequency, and pattern. Symptoms can vary from

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

Because of this, there are two main types of bipolar disorder, bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder. Bipolar I disorder is the most common type out of the two disorders. As it states in the textbook Abnormal Psychology: Clinical and Scientific Perspectives (2014), the main difference between the two disorders is that bipolar I has the occurrence of a manic episode throughout the course of the disorder. A manic episode can be described as the person be very talkative at a fast pace, easily distracted, reckless behavior and lack of self control, little need for sleep, and elated. A person with bipolar I disorder can have a lack of self-control which can lead to a very dangerous sex life by engaging in unprotected sexual activity with multiple partners, or even obtaining a drug addiction. On the other end of the spectrum, there are occurrences of depressed episodes that are experienced by people with both bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder. Depressed episodes can be characterized by the person being in a bad mood or experiencing sadness daily. Feeling fatigued, having difficulty concentrating, not remembering things easily, and eating problems can stem from depressed episodes. Individuals may also experience a sense of hopelessness that can potentially lead to the attempt or even carrying out suicide. Hypomanic episodes are also experienced by individuals with both bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder. These

The National Institute of Mental Health describes bipolar I disorder as the occurrence of manic episodes that can last up to seven days, or experiencing a state of mania so severe that one must be hospitalized. With manic episodes, it is common to experience depressive symptoms as well, which can last two weeks or more. The NIMH defines bipolar II disorder as a pattern of depressive episodes with the addition of hypomanic episodes, which are not as intense and distressing as the manic episodes in bipolar I disorder. During a manic episode one might be experiencing feelings of having a lot of energy, feeling jumpy or wired, talking fast about a variety of topics, racing thoughts, and wanting to do risky things. During an episode of depression,

            Before researching this topic, I used to think that Bipolar Disorder was a very rare mental illness and in most cases, a misdiagnoses. There are many misconceptions about Bipolar Disorder and mental illness as a whole. Bipolar Disorder has become an epidemic in America and affects nearly everyone in some way. The term Bipolar is increasingly being misused to describe someone having a bad day or being excessively happy. Over the past generation, Bipolar has began to be used as an adjective to describe how people are feeling or acting.  Most of us know someone who either has Bipolar Disorder or someone affected by it. The purpose of this essay is to examine Bipolar Disorder and determine the best way for individuals, along with their loved one’s to manage the disorder. This will hopefully help people understand what a friend or family member is going through and even help an individual struggling with Bipolar Disorder. Better yet, it could inspire others to research and spread ideas to someday cure Bipolar Disorder. Citizens can call upon their elected officials to increase access to mental health services (counseling, therapy, medications) for people diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and support the families that are affected.

Bipolar disorder is divided into two categories – bipolar I and bipolar II. Bipolar I is a more severe than bipolar II. People with bipolar I experience mania accompanied with irritable mood. This type of mania or manic episode involves delusional thinking. The manic episode can only be diagnosed if it is accompanied with three or more symptoms on a daily basis for a minimum of one week. Usually, hospitalization is a necessary if the individual isn’t taking

Bipolar 1 Disorder is defined as severe episodes of highs and lows, normally lasting a week or longer at a single time. This is considered to be the most severe form of bipolar disorder, as in many cases the patient may have to be hospitalized due to the severe symptoms the mood swings may cause. Bipolar 2 Disorder is classified as a milder case of Bipolar 1 Disorder. Patients diagnosed with Bipolar 2 Disorder have milder mood swings and do not have to be hospitalized to protect them from their actions(Wood, S., Wood, E., & Boyd, D.,2013). Both types of the disorder can be treated with medication and

The failure to properly recognize patients who experience symptoms that precipitate those of bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Although diagnostic errors can be made with caution and conscious awareness, the patient’s condition may worsen over time or possibly lead to a tragic death. The purpose of this analysis is to offer insight into the elements of bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD). Upon doing so, the reader is presented with a better foundation and understanding of the differences between these two mental illnesses.

There are two types of bipolar disorder, which are bipolar I and bipolar II. Bipolar I is when a person has had at least one manic episode in their life. Manic refers to a period when a person exhibits an elevated abnormal mood that can be associated with a higher level of energy. As a result this abnormal behavior can drastically disrupt a person’s life. Sometime during this period a person can suffer from episodes of depression that cannot be explained. Bipolar II is similar to bipolar I. The major difference between the disorders is that those that suffer from bipolar II is the moods cycle between high and low over time. An article in WebMD states, “However, in bipolar II disorder, the "up" moods never reach full-blown mania. The less-intense elevated moods in bipolar II disorder are called hypomanic episodes, or hypomania.” (http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-2-disorder) Hypomania is defined as a mild form of mania, marked by elation and hyperactivity.