Bipolar Disorder

* Bipolar II: one or more major depressive episodes and at least one episode of hypomania, with possible periods of level mood between episodes. Also the highs in bipolar II, called hypomania’s, and are not as high as those in bipolar I.

People with bipolar I disorder have full manic and major depressive episodes. Most of them experience an alternation of the episodes; for example, weeks of mania may be followed by a period of wellness, followed, in turn, by an episode of depression. Some, however, have mixed episodes, in which they display both manic and depressive symptoms within the same episode—for example, having racing thoughts amidst feelings of extreme sadness. In bipolar II disorder, hypomanic—that is, mildy manic—episodes alternate with major depressive episodes over the course of time. When a person experiences numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms and mild depressive symptoms, but not full-blown episodes, DSM-5 assigns a diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder. The symptoms of this milder form of bipolar disorder continue for two or more years, interrupted occasionally by normal moods that may last for only days or weeks.

These mood episodes include the manic episodes and the depressive episodes. The mood changes of mania include a long period of an overly happy mood and irritability; the behavioral changes are talking quickly, having racing thoughts, being distracted, increasing of activities, being restless, getting little or no sleep, being impulsive, and engaging in high-risk, pleasurable activities or behaviors (NIMH, 2015). The mood changes of the depressive episodes are loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed and a long period of sadness; the behavioral changes are feeling very tired, having trouble with decision making and problem solving, being irritable, changing normal habits, and negative thinking (NIMH, 2015). Sometimes symptoms from both episodes can be present in a person’s current mood episode. This is called a mixed state. In the mixed state, a person can feel agitated, have a change in eating habits, and have suicidal thoughts; they also feel very hopeless and very energized at the same time (NIMH, 2015). About ten percent of people have at least four mood episodes every year which is called rapid cycling bipolar disorder (Schacter el at.,

A manic episode includes either feeling euphoric or high levels of irritation and can last a week or longer and may require hospitalisation. A person who is mania can sometimes lose touch with reality and suffer psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions. Hypomania is similar to mania but not as intense and there are no psychotic symptoms experienced and the person will not require hospitalisation. Symptoms will last up to 4 days.

Bipolar depression is a psychological disorder characterized by extreme, sudden shifts between depression (low) and mania (high). This condition usually appears before age 25 and causes changes in energy, mood, activity levels and one's ability to carry out activities of daily living. Bipolar depression is a life-long challenge but with therapy and the right medications it is possible to manage.

Bipolar I is our modern understanding of the 19th Century manic-depressive disorder or affective psychosis, however, it differs in that neither psychosis nor a lifetime experience of a major depressive episode is required. It requires one or more extreme manic episode, or symptoms of both a mania and a depression. It may be preceded by, or followed by, hypomanic or major depressive episodes. Mania symptoms cause significant impairment in life and may require hospitalization or trigger psychosis. In contrast, bipolar II is defined by the lifetime experience of at least one hypomanic episode and at least one major depressive episode. Criteria for hypomania are like those of mania, but in a milder form. Instead of impairment, hypomania is marked by a distinct change in functioning. (APA, 2013)

Bipolar disorder also known as manic depression that causes multiple unusual mood swings; dealing with manic highs and depressive lows. It may also affect their ability to do everyday tasks. When depressed, there is a sense of hopelessness and sad. Even in regular activities person with disorder will lose interest. Person will deal with low energy and low energy. Also, they may deal with a feeling of euphoria, full of energy. These patterns will cause the person to lose sleep, affecting their energy, way of thinking, and activity. Bipolar disorder is a serious brain illness.

Bipolar Disorder is one of many depressive disorders which affect the way your brain functions. Depressive disorders are very common in fact, about 1 out of 7 people are diagnosed with a depressive disorder each year. So chances are that you know someone that has it whether it is a family member, friend, or coworker. Bipolar disorder goes by many different names, but they are all the same disorder. Some of these include: manic depressive-disorder, bipolar mood disorder, and bipolar affective disorder.

Bipolar disorder (bipolar affective disorder or manic-depressive disorder) is a long-term disorder where a person’s mood fluctuates between severe depression (lows) and mania (highs), with normal moods in between (sometimes). The time spent in and between extremes could last a few days, weeks, months or even years. There are also instances where no time between extremes is experienced and up to 4 mood fluctuations are experienced per year, this is dubbed Rapid Cycling. Bipolar is not mood swings, they do not merely last up to a few hours. There are treatments for bipolar disorder but it is not curable, the condition can only be improved.

“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 disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is a mental disorder characterised by extreme shifts in mood, as well as fluctuations in energy and activity levels. Someone with bipolar will experience episodes of low mood (major depression) and times of high or elevated mood (mania or hypomania). Bipolar episodes are essentially drastic mood changes, and last at least one week. These episodes can affect a person 's thoughts, feelings and actions, and can dramatically interfere with relationships, academic performance, lifestyle activities, and day-to-day living. Every individual experiences bipolar differently. Some people only have one or two episodes in their life, and they never reoccur, whereas others can endure years without any symptoms, yet still have manic or depressive episodes. Often depressive episodes occur just before a manic episode takes place.

Symptoms of bipolar range from maniac to depressive states, in which a person deals with mood swings which make them vulnerable in dealing with intense emotional episodes. Mood swings that can lead to harm to the person cognitively, emotionally

Steve Bressert states, “Bipolar Disorder is a mental disorder that is characterized by constantly changing moods between depression and mania. The mood swings are significant, and the experiences of the highs of mania and the lows of depression are usually extreme. (Bressert) ” In other words, mood swings, forms of mania and depression can be felt intensely by a person. A manic episode makes people have extreme happiness and no need for sleep. While a depressive episode makes you have extreme sadness, no energy, and make you feel hopeless. A person with a bipolar disorder can have three years of normal moods between manic or depressive episodes. Gong up and down between strong emotions can make someone feel like they cannot have a normal life. Cycling between emotions can be rapid or happen slowly over time. It can be as often as multiple times a week. However, most people experience a high manic episode or a low depressive episode over long periods of times. This does make it hard to lead a regular life. If you have experienced one manic episode, you will most likely have future episodes. Directly before you have a depressive

The first shift is called the elevated mood “Mania” or “Hypomania” depending on the severity of the condition. In this period, the patients feel abnormally happy, energetic, and irritable. When the mood swings the other way, the patients feel very low emotionally which is called the “depression period”. This is considered the most dangerous because it could lead to self-harm and suicide1. Bipolar affects 5.7 million adult each year in North America only2.