Bipolar Disorder Research Paper

“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.

personality disorder the mood swings can be very rapid indeed with both conditions the differing

Bipolar disorder, or manic depressive illness, is a brain disorder that may cause unusual energy and activity levels, mood shifts, and inability to carry out daily tasks in people who have been correctly diagnosed with it. Results of severe symptoms usually include damaged or severed relationships, bad situations at work or school, and even suicide or suicidal thoughts. This disorder is often diagnosed during the teen/young adult years of the person’s life. Over half the cases are diagnosed before the age of 25.

Typically, a person experiences a spectrum of emotions both negative and positive, but they stay within a normal range. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that describes when a person has “extreme mood swings… which typically shift between the heights of elation to the depths of depression.” (Nevid, Rathus, and Greene, 2013) Generally, a person suffering from Bipolar disorder will experience spurts of elation, or happiness, this is usually called the “manic period.” On the other hand, the person will also incur periods of depression, sometimes as severe as committing suicide. Bipolar disorder is categorized in two groups: Bipolar I and Bipolar II. The difference is whether or not the person manic episodes. For Bipolar II, a person must have a hypomanic episode which is a manic episode that is less intense and lasts for a shorter period of time. The bipolar spectrum consists of four main forms: bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, cyclothymic disorder, and bipolar disorder that cannot be classified. Bipolar I disorder requires a person to have at least one manic episode lasting seven days or more as well as depressive episodes that outnumber the manic episodes three to one. Bipolar II disorder is often misdiagnosed as unipolar depression because the person experiences hypomanic episodes that are less severe and shorter than regular manic episodes. The depressive episodes outnumber the hypomanic forty to one. Cyclothymic disorder

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness. Manic-depressive illness is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the inability to carry out day-to-day tasks (Bipolar Disorder). Bipolar disorder is categorized with depression. When a depression episode ends, a happy, energetic, stated called mania follows (Myers 391). But not long after that do the depressed feelings return. There is not necessarily a cause for bipolar disorder, more like things are linked together to cause the illness. Research has also been done and discovered that bipolar disorder is sometimes passed through genetics (Bipolar Disorder). “Some imaging studies show how the brains of people with bipolar disorder may differ from the brains of healthy people or people with other mental disorders (Bipolar Disorder).” A MRI study found that the brain's prefrontal cortex in adults with bipolar disorder tends to be smaller, function less well compared to adults who don't have bipolar disorder (Bipolar Disorder). The symptoms found in bipolar disorder are sometimes mood disorders, which links back to depression. Feelings that are associated with bipolar disorder are always opposite of one another. Symptoms may also include change of habits. Doctors diagnose bipolar disorder using guidelines from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

Depression, the other extreme mood of Bipolar Disorder, is characterized with feelings of guilt, shame, regret, sadness, loss, hopelessness and suffocation. Individuals in a depressive episode often times blame themselves for their sorrow. To be diagnosed with Major Depression, they must suffer from a depressed mood or a loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities, in addition to at least five other symptoms which may include insomnia or hypersomnia, inability to maintain a healthy weight, fatigue, slow thinking, and suicidal ideations. These symptoms must last for at least two weeks. Mixed Episode must be ruled out as well (APA, 2000). Even the most natural beauties, such as a sunset or a flower, are interpreted as bland

Bipolar I disorder- at least one manic episode which may be followed by major depressive or hypomanic episode.

This type presents itself with serious mood changes from mania and depression. These episodes can last days, weeks or months depending on the individual and how severe their episodes are.

Bipolar disorder is a depressive illness that effects the brain that causes shifts in mood and the ability to carry out daily tasks. There are multiple classifications of the types of the disorder that range from extremely elated moods (manic phases) to extremely sad moods (depressive phases). The different episodes classify Bipolar disorder into type one or type two. Bipolar one disorder is classified as mania episodes that last at least a week and are usually followed by depressive episodes that can last two weeks or more. It is also possible to have symptoms of mania and depression at the same time. Bipolar two disorder is classified by bouts of depressive moods and hypomanic episodes, but not actual mania. Unspecified Bipolar Disorder is symptoms that do not match the categories mentioned above.

Also known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder is defined as a brain disorder that causes atypical changes in moods, activity, and energy level. People diagnosed with bipolar disorder experience manic and depressive episodes. Whereas manic episodes feature overexcitement and hyperactivity, depressive episodes feature extreme sadness and lack of activity (Walsh, 2014). There are two major types of bipolar disorder. The first is bipolar

Bipolar Disorder is defined as “a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity

When considering the effects of a bipolar disorder on human life, one will realize that it is no simple disorder. In fact, bipolar disorder is immensely complex and bewildering even through a large amount of research and time has been spent studying it. Although there is a lot of information not known about bipolar disorders, it is important to recognize the current knowledge. Thus, the goal of this paper is to provide an analysis of current knowledge of bipolar disorder, including explaining the effects, causation, and incidence of the disorder.

Bipolar disorder also described as manic depressive illness, in which the brain causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out day to day tasks. Bipolar disorder comes with manic episodes that bring extreme happiness , extreme irritability, hyper activity, little to no sleep and racing thoughts. Which create the inability to enjoy normal pleasurable activities and all lead to the feeling of sadness, hopelessness and helplessness. (Grohol, 2014)

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.