Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental illness that affects many Americans both young and old. It is a chronic disease that presents itself in many ways, including depression, hyperactivity, thoughts of grandeur, unusual amounts of energy and even suicidal thoughts. A person that is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder exhibits mood swings that are extremely high, also called mania or hypomania to extremely lows called depression with moments of "normal moods" in between ("Manic Depression," n.d). The first signs of bipolar disorder are usually apparent in late teens or early adult years, but have been noticed in early childhood years. Even though most refer to bipolar disease as one disease by itself it actually covers …show more content…
According to one study, MRI reports showed the brain's prefrontal cortex in adults with bipolar disorder to be smaller and functioning at a lower level. Because of this, functions such as problem solving and decision making was impaired ("Bipolar Disorder," n.d). Some sources say there is an imbalance in the chemicals of the brain therefore causing certain disorders such as bipolar as well as other mood disorders. Many will agree that heredity plays a large role in the development of the disease. Bipolar disorder appears to be more common in those who have a family member that has been diagnosed with the condition, especially a first-degree relative such as a parent or sibling (Bipolar Disorder, 2002). Other factors that may play a role in the development of the disorder include high stress, drugs and alcohol, major life changes, and advanced paternal age at conception. Those that have experienced trauma such as childhood abuse have a greater chance of developing the disorder as well. Scientist have yet to discover one specific cause to the development of the disorder instead they have determined that a range of factors can play a role in its …show more content…
When experiencing a manic episode or “high” one may experience increased energy, lack of concentration, poor judgement, lack of sleep, thoughts of grandeur, euphoric mood, extreme irritability, increased sexual activity, impulsiveness, loud incessant talking, and risky behavior that is out of the norm. These feelings and behaviors can lead a person to believe that they are all-powerful, paranoid and even filled with rage. Because of these feelings, many turn to more detrimental behaviors such as gambling, spending sprees, and increased sexual
“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 is a brain disorder that is characterized by abnormal changes in mood, energy and activity levels (“National Institute of Mental Health”). Manic-depressive illness is also another name that bipolar disorder is commonly referred to as (“National Institute of Mental Health”). This disorder has four basic types including, bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic, and any other which do not perfectly fit the first three. All four of the types have episodes of extreme highs, manic periods, and extreme lows, depressive periods. Symptoms can range greatly and depend on what type of episode the affected is having. Manic episodes can include, but are not limited to: having extraordinarily high amounts of energy, activity,
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness in which common emotions become intensely and often unpredictably magnified. Individuals with bipolar disorder can quickly swing from extremes of happiness, energy and clarity to sadness, fatigue and confusion. Bipolar disorder more commonly develops in older teenagers and young adults; it can appear in children as 6. The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown; there are two types of this disease:
Several of the mania symptoms include increased energy, restlessness, euphoric mood, extreme irritability, poor concentration, sleeplessness, abuse of drugs, and heightened sense of self-importance. Depressive symptoms include sad mood, hopelessness and pessimism, feeling of helplessness, loss of interest in activities, fatigue, sleeplessness or sleeping too much, change in appetite, thoughts of death or suicide. These two episodes go back and forth between normal moods. Mood episodes with symptoms of both manic and depressive symptoms are called episodes with mixed features. While experiencing a mixed episode, a person’s state of mind contradicts itself while he may feel sad and hopeless but extremely energized at the same time
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness which causes extreme mood swings in which the person would have times of emotional highs (manic or hypomania) and lows (depression), with periods of normal mood in between. Bipolar can affect relationships and the ability to carry out day to day tasks.
A characteristic related across all mood states is the over activation of the prefrontal cortex. Malfunctions in the frontal cortex may lead to the dysregulation of moods. Mistransmissions on how to react to a situation is a leading possibility to bipolar. Another study shows that the prefrontal cortex of teenagers and young adults have a correlation of abnormalities over time between volume and age. Studies have seen that abnormal connections in the frontal lobe to the limbic system is a factor in bipolar episode changes. (Townsend)
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive disorder, is defined as “a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks” (1). According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, this disorder affects approximately 5.7 million people age 18 and older in the United States annually (2). There are a few different categories of this disorder including Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Cyclothymic
The Bipolar disorder (AKA) manic depression is a common and debilitating mood disorder which causes extreme shifts in energy and mood. The word bipolar means that the two main polar extremes in which a person with the disorder experiences. According to part of the National Institutes of Health that watches over neurological and psychological research this disorder affects about 2.1 million adults in the United States and about 1 percent of the entire world. The first signs of this disorder usually appear in childhood and early adulthood, with cases rarely happening in childhood, no discoveries have been
In this world, there are many kinds of illness and diseases that affect our body in different ways. Some illness or diseases can kill us while other ones can be treated. For example, Bipolar Disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in moods such as energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day to day tasks. Bipolar is also known as “manic depression”. Bipolar disorder has affected about 5.7 million people in the United States in any giving year, month, week, day and even time. Bipolar disorder can be affected in both men and women. Affecting any kind of human being will have the cycle of Bipolar Disorder that can last days, weeks and even months. There are few risk factors that reliably predict a significantly
Manic disorder, also known as bipolar disorder, is an illness classified by extreme mood swings from energetic to fatigue, or agitated to happy (vice versa). These occurrences of mood swings can last from a few hours to a few months. Some may even feel happy but depressed at the same time (Watson, 2016). Over 5 million people in the United States struggle with this disorder while symptoms of mania and bipolar I or II cannot be easily diagnosed (Watson, 2016). Most people tend to become diagnosed with this disorder around the age of 25 years old (National Institute of Mental Health). Manic disorder is not constrained to a certain group of people. It can impact any age, race, or gender however, ⅔ of people who have this disorder has a close
The meaning of Bipolar Disorder is a mental disorder marked by alternating periods of great happiness and exhilaration(Also known as “Elation”) and feelings of severe despondency and dejection(Also known as “Depression”). There are 3 million US cases of this per year. The cause of Bipolar Disorder is unknown (Not known, No one knows) but it is possible that the genetics, environment, altered brain structure, and chemistry may have affected/caused it in a way (But there is no way yet to be sure). This disorder can last for a long time, it can last about a lifetime or a couple of years. No one knows to be sure because every man, woman, and child work’s different in this category to determine exactly when or if the Bipolar Depression will
Bipolar disorder, or manic depressive disorder, is a disorder characterized by extreme mood changes. People with this disorder undergo unusual shifts in his or her mood, activity levels, energy and the ability to carry out daily activities (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). A person can go from being very outgoing and energetic to feeling irritated and worthless over a period of a few days, months, or even years. People with bipolar disorder experience “mood episodes”, represented by a drastic change in a person’s unusual mood or behavior (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). A manic episode he or she may experience is overexcited and overly joyful; however, someone in a
Bipolar Disorder causes intense mood swings. During those mood swings, one could become depressed and may experience feelings of sadness, hopelessness or lose interest in activities. The mood can then shift to mania or hypomania, and in that state one could feed full of energy or unusually irritable. All of the mood swings above can cause disturbances in sleep, activity, judgement, and behavior. The complete cause of bipolar disorder is unknown.