Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments of Unipolar and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar I is identified by the length and severity of the manic and depressive episodes. The manic episodes must last for at least seven days or they must be so severe that a person requires immediate hospitalization. The depressive episodes last around two weeks. These episodes, both manic and depressive, must be an extreme, major alteration from the person’s normal behavior. An effective treatment plan for bipolar I includes medication and psychotherapy. The medication helps with stabilizing a person’s mood and the psychotherapy is for the prevention of relapse and the reduction of symptom severity. Many people with bipolar I take combination medicine treatment. The treatment includes a mood stabilizer; sometimes an anticonvulsant other times a non anticonvulsant, and an antidepressant, to help reduce depression episodes. Doctors prescribe both an anticonvulsant and an

There are some treatments for bipolar disorder. The main treatments are medications and psychotherapy. The types of medication used to treat the disorder are antidepressants, atypical antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers (NIMH, 2015). Some other treatments that are helpful in dealing with the symptoms of bipolar disorder are sleeping medications, herbal supplements, and electroconvulsive therapy (NIMH,

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

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

Currently the best treatment for bipolar disorder is a combination of medical medicine along with therapy and counseling. The medicines used to treat bipolar disorder are grouped together in three categories: Anticonvulsants, Antidepressants, and Antipsychotics. Each medicine is prescribed to the patient according to the symptoms the individual is experiencing. Each bipolar disorder case is different and it is important to diagnose the patient properly in terms of medicine and counseling for better recovery results from the

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

Medication is the first line of defense in treating bipolar disorder. Traditionally, lithium was the drug of choice for bipolar patients. Though lithium is still used

Bipolar disorder, which is commonly referred to as manic-depressive illness, is a disorder within the brain that causes abnormal changes in mood, energy levels, and activity levels. People of any ethnicity can have bipolar disorder, although bipolar disorder is more prevalent in the U.S. than any other country (see figure 1). Bipolar disorder, as

The purpose of this essay is to discuss the clinical differences in the diagnosis of both Major Depressive Disorder (Unipolar depression) and Bipolar Depression can be made on the basis of characteristics of a Major Depressive Episode (MDE). That is, can an MDE in patients with Major Depressive Disorder be differentiated from a MDE in patients with Bipolar Disorder? Firstly, the extremes in mood, Major Depressive Episode and mania/hypomania will be defined and it will be explained how they contribute to a diagnosis of MDD or Bipolar Disorder based on the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Secondly, the importance of differentiating the two disorders based on MDE characteristics will be explained. Thirdly, the literature on the clinical characteristics of MDE in Bipolar and Unipolar Depression will be reviewed. Lastly, this essay will touch on what this means for clinicians in their decisions in diagnosing patients with Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar disorder.

Does cognitive-behavioral therapy work just as well as antidepressants when treating depression? How we perceive our depression is what helps to determine the type of treatment necessary. Antidepressants treat the common symptoms of depression rather than the condition while therapy helps change the thought process so the disease is cured in the end. Many studies are done to provide necessary information to what the answer to this question should be. The following articles provided studies that explained the effects of treatment with medication, with therapy, or a combination of both.

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

Bipolar Disorder also known as Manic Depressive Illness involves outstanding mood swings. The individual has periods of depression, and periods when they feel either unusually good or pressured and irritable. It affects 1-2% of the population. Genetics plays a significant role. About 15% of children with one bipolar parent develop the disorder.