Do People Living With Bipolar Disorder Need Medication?

“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.

The mood disorder of bipolar is a roller coaster of high and low emotions. Bipolar has many different components and can manifest as either Bipolar I or Bipolar ( Oltmanns & Emery, 2015) Bipolar I is described as having one manic episode. ( Oltmanns & Emery ,2015) Mania is a disturbance in mood characterized by symptoms as elation, higher self-esteem, hyperactivity and expedited thought process. (Oltmanns & Emery, 2015) To have Bipolar II, a person must have at least one depressive episode and a mild manic episode. A depressive episode includes hypomania meaning in bipolar II a person will not have a full blown manic episode. (Oltmanns & Emery, 2015) People who have bipolar have a tough time with their emotions, because their emotions are not stable. They oftentimes feel like they are on an emotional roller-coaster because of the erratic ups and downs ( Oltmanns & Emery 2015)

Thankfully, there are various treatments and therapies, which can help manage bipolar disorder in an individual. Since all patents are different, experimenting with multiple treatments is always a good idea, to help figure out what will work best for them. Medication is a main and most popular route, including mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants (“National Institute of Mental Health”). Unfortunately, medications can have their downsides and often getting the patient to regularly take their medication is one of the biggest challenges. Another option for the patient to consider is psychotherapy. This includes different kinds of verbal therapy such as cognitive and behavioral therapy (“Bipolar Disorder”). Therapy is not only helpful for the affected person but also can help the family cope. Lifestyle changes such as healthier lifestyle, organized schedule, and the limitation of alcohol and drug consumption, can contribute to managing this disorder. Overall though, this disorder affects everyone differently, and the patent needs to consult a doctor and psychiatrist to figure out what will help them handle their symptoms the most

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.

A mild form of bipolar disorder called Cyclothymia involves less severe mood swings. People with this form alternate between hypomania and mild depression.

Despite the similarities, there are more common symptoms in bipolar depression than it is in regular depression. For example, bipolar depression has individuals feeling guilty, hopeless, sad, empty, unpredictable mood swings, and feelings of restlessness. People with bipolar depression also tend to move very slow, gain weight, and sleep a lot (Hatchett). On the other hand the hypomania state has led observers to feel that bipolar patients are "addicted" to their mania. Paranoia or irritable characteristics begin to manifest in this stage. Hyperactive behavior can sometimes lead to violence and speech becomes very rapid (Hirschfeld, 1995). A mixed episode is when you have both manic and depressive symptoms at the same time. According to Hirschfield, “Those afflicted are a special risk because there is a combination of hopelessness, agitation, and anxiety that makes them feel like they,” “could jump out of their skin” (Hirschfeld, 1995). Up to 50% of all patients with mania have a mixture of depressed moods. This episode is considered very dangerous because individuals feel as if they could commit suicide.

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 a mental abnormality involving an intense mood change from mania to a depressive mood in a matter of seconds. This used to be called manic-depressive disorder. During the manic phase, your will be very energetic, happy, talkative, have an increased sex drive, and even aggression. You could also end up spending a mass amount of money in which you didn’t intend to do. But during the depressive phase, you are very depressed, hopeless, anxious, sleepy, guilty, and sometimes even suicidal. People with bipolar disorder, often struggle with psychosis as well. Psychosis is the hallucinations and hearing voices.

In their article for Bipolar Disorder Treatment, authors J. Segal, R. Segal, and Smith explained that there is not just one type of bipolar disorder; in fact there are several different types of bipolar disorders. One type of bipolar disorder, which is the most commonly known, the Bipolar I Disorder (mania and depression). This type of bipolar disorder is characterized by at least one manic episode or mixed episode. The vast majority of those who suffer from bipolar I disorder have also experienced at least one episode of major depression, however, it is said that it is not required for the diagnosis. The second type of bipolar disorder is Bipolar II Disorder (hypomania and depression). This type of disorder does not actually involve mania like the first type did. Instead of mania, there are recurring episodes of major depression and hypomania, which is a milder form of mania. To be diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, you must have experienced at least one hypomanic episode and one major depressive episode in your lifetime. The last type of bipolar disorder is Cyclothymia (hypomania and mild depression). This is a milder form of bipolar. Consistent with bipolar disorder, it shows the mood swings. However in contrast, the highs and lows are not severe enough to be considered or qualify as mania or major depression. In order to be diagnosed with cyclothymia, you must

Bipolar disorder is a very intense disorder and many people struggle with dealing with it on a day to day basis. According to the A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia (2013), bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that can affect your behavior, emotions, and wellness. Bipolar disorder symptoms are more severe than a personal just experiencing a bad day. They consistently interfere with a person’s everyday life. They can vary in intensity, from damaging previously healthy relationships, to thinking about committing suicide. Not all cases of bipolar disorder are the same in that some cases are more severe than

Bipolar Disorder or manic-depressive disorder is a disorder characterized by highs, manias, and lows, depressions, and can therefore be easily distinguished from unipolar depression, a major depressive disorder in DSM-5, by the presence of manic or hypomanic episodes (Miklowitz & Gitlin, 2014). Bipolar disorder is generally an episodic, lifelong illness with a variable course (American Psychiatric Association, 2010). There are two classifications of bipolar disorder; bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder. If the episodes are primarily manic but there has been at least one depressive episode, the diagnosis is bipolar I disorder (Early, 2009). If the episodes are primarily depressed but there has been at least one episode of hypomania, increased mood that is more euphoric than normal but not quite manic, the diagnosis is bipolar II disorder (Early, 2009).

Bipolar is a mental disorder which is known for a brain disorder that causes constant changing of moods, activity levels, and the ability to carry out every day activities, relationships with family and friends and possibly workplace functioning. The areas that the brain is affected by bipolar is the frontal and temporal lobes of the forebrain, the prefrontal cortex, the basal ganglia, and parts of the limbic system (Bressert, 2007). The hippocampus may also play a role in bipolar disorder, as structural changes to this area of the brain have been associated with this disorder in some individuals. It is also known by its older name “manic depression” (Bressert, 2007). A manic episode is described to be like feelings of intensified energy levels, creativity, and euphoria are common. People that experience a manic episodes talk a mile a minute, hardly sleeps, and are hyperactive; they may also feel that they’re all-powerful, invincible, or destined for the best (Bressert, 2007). Bipolar is described as an emotional roller coaster. A person that is diagnosed with bipolar will experience highs that are known as manic episodes and lows that are known as depression (Bressert, 2007). These periods have different lengths of time, they can last for a few hours or ranging days or possibly even longer; they can last up to a few weeks up to months at one given time. This disorder is a long term and chronic condition with a variety of treatments.

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

The risk of suicide among persons afflicted with bipolar illness is unrealistically high. As many as 1 in 5 people with this disorder have committed suicide. This rate is nearly 30 times greater than that of the general population. Research suggests that people who commit