Bipolar Disorder And Mental Health

“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.

Depressive episodes can include, but are not limited to feelings of: emptiness, loneliness, depressed thoughts, lack of energy, and trouble concentrating (“National Institute of Mental Health”). However, symptoms from both types of episodes can mix. The individual may feel hyper but also hopeless and depressed at the same time, making it a very difficult disorder. No one certain factor is known to cause bipolar disorder. There are a few main factors which can contribute to the development of it including: genetics, family history, brain structure and function (“National Institute of Mental Health”). Often, if a parent or relation has this disorder, then a related individual has a much more likely chance of being bipolar. Tramative and extremely stressful life events can also cause the disorder to become active at any life stage (“Bipolar Disorder”). This is a diagnostic overview of the disorder, however, to have a full understanding it is vital to look at a real life account of someone with

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that is characterized by changes in mood. It can lead to risky behavior, damage relationships and careers, and even suicidal outcomes if it’s not treated. Bipolar disorder is more common in older teenagers and young adults, it can affect children as young as 6. Women experience more periods of depression than men. More remains to be learned about this condition that affects millions of people.

Manic depression disorder, more commonly known today as bipolar disorder, is a mental illness that can affect any age, race, or gender. It is not prejudiced, and has a grim prognosis if the symptoms are not treated or controlled in some fashion. Bipolar disorder is, by Boris Birmaher as the presence of recurrent episodes of mania or hypomania with and without episodes of depression (Birmaher, 2013). As explained by Hockenbury and Hockenbury, a manic episode can be sudden and escalates the emotional state of the individual causing them to have extreme euphoria, as well as more excitement, physical energy, and a more rapid thought and speech process. A depressive episode can also come on suddenly and leaves the individual in a lost state, where they are tired, and no longer find enjoyment from activities that they once loved and could lead to suicidal thoughts or actions (Hockenbury & Hockenbury, 2014). A person does not mentally mature fully until about the age of 25. Meaning that a 25 year old has different brain processes than a 10 year old. Because of this, there have been many studies conducted on the controversy between whether or not bipolar disorder should be diagnosed in children and adolescents.

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-depressive disorder (MDD), affects people of all races, colors, and economic backgrounds. Approximately two million Americans aged 18 and older are affected by this disorder.

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.

•Bipolar disorder is more likely to affect the children of parents who have the disorder. When one parent has bipolar disorder, the risk to each child is l5 to 30%. When both parents have bipolar disorder, the risk increases to 50 to 75%

Those who are researching this illness believe that it had a lot to do with genetics but that there are also many other factors involved. In an example by the National Institute of Mental Health, they found that even if there is a pair of identical twins and one develops bipolar disorder the other twin might never develop it.

the exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown but several factors may be involved, such as biological differences, some seem to have physical changes in their brain, neurotransmitters seem to play a significant role in bipolar disorder, bi polar disorder is more common in people who have a relative such as a sibling or parent with the condition, researchers are trying to find genes that may be involved in causing bipolar disorder. (Mayo clinic staff, ND).

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)

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an alternating or shift in moods of elevation and depression. It is also known as manic depression. This mental illness is that brings severe high and low moods, it can cause changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior. “Bi” which means two or alternating between two, explains the two common episodic moods that occur in individuals with this disorder; mania and depression. According to the DSM there are multiple forms of bipolar disorder, coming in four major forms; bipolar I, bipolar II, bipolar disorder and Cyclothymia. Bipolar II which is a “major depressive episodes alternate with hypomanic episodes rather than full manic episodes.”(Barlow et al., 2014). Individual with bipolar I are similar, “except the individual experiences a full manic episode.” (Barlow et al., 2014). Lastly Cyclothymia is just a mild form of bipolar disorder. Mania episodes take into account the high elevated moods; where an individual’s is extremely energetic, excited, may partake in usually activities, for example excessive spending, promiscuity or dangerous behavior. On the other hand, there are depressive episodes, which are mark by similar symptoms as the common disorder of depression, such as extreme sadness, lack of motivation, constant fatigue and irritable. More prevalent in women, although it can occur in children and older adults, this disorder is seen to suddenly develop in ages ranging from 18 to 24. Although similar men and

Causes of bipolar disorder are not clearly defined. There are possible genetic connections to the disorder. Probable occurrence of and excessive calcium buildup in the cells and also dopamine and other neurochemical transmitter seemed to be implicated in bipolar disorder.

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