Symptoms And Treatment Of Bipolar Disorder

There are different symptoms and different types of bipolar disorder. The primary symptoms of bipolar disorder are dramatic and unpredictable mood swings. Mania symptoms may include excessive happiness, excitement, restlessness, less need for sleep, and high sex drive. Depression symptoms include sadness, anxiety, loss of energy, uncontrollable crying, need for sleep, and thoughts of death or suicide.

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.

There are several different categories of symptoms when dealing with bipolar disorder; there are psychotic symptoms, manic symptoms, cognitive symptoms, and depression symptoms. Figure 2, by Terence Ketter, has a list of some of the more common symptoms from each category, and I will be breaking down the categories into a thorough list of the most common symptoms.

Bipolar disorder has four basic types. The types are based on the changes in mood, energy and activity levels. The four types include: Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder, and Unspecified Bipolar. An individual with Bipolar experiences moods that range from high and low. The high is known as manic episodes which is explained as energized behaviors. People having a manic episode may experience symptoms that include: increase in activity levels, have trouble sleeping, active, and partake in risky things or behaviors (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). The low is known

Bipolar I can have some very frightening characteristics of psychosis (loss of contact with reality). These may include: hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that are not there), delusions (persistent beliefs in things that are not true), and paranoia (believing that a person or group is actively working to harm you, without any basis in fact). These psychotic features are also characteristic of schizophrenia, a mental illness where the patient is out of touch with reality, but without mood swings. Bridging the space between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is schizoaffective disorder. What distinguishes schizoaffective disorder from Bipolar I with psychotic features is that sometimes (for at least two weeks) the patient has only psychotic symptoms, without mania or depression (A).

A diagnosis of Bipolar I requires that the criteria for a manic episode be met. The manic episode may have been preceded by and may be followed by hypo manic or major depressive episodes (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). A diagnosis of Bipolar II requires that the criteria for a current or past hypo manic episode and the criteria for a current or past major depressive episode have been met (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).A diagnosis of Cyclothymic Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by more than one bipolar episode. There are three types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar 1 Disorder, in which the primary symptom presentation is manic, or rapid (daily) cycling episodes of mania and depression. Bipolar 2 Disorder, in which the primary symptom presentation is recurrent depression accompanied by hypo manic episodes (a milder state of mania in which the symptoms are not severe enough to cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning or need for hospitalization, but are sufficient to be observable by others). The last one, Cyclothymic Disorder, a chronic state of cycling between hypo manic and depressive episodes that do not reach the diagnostic standard for bipolar disorder (APA, 2000, pp. 388–392) (NCBI, 2012). Manic episodes are characterized by: A distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, lasting at least 1 week (or any duration if hospitalization is necessary) (NCBI, 2012). During the period of mood disturbance, three (or more) of the following symptoms have persisted and have been present to a significant degree: increased self-esteem or grandiosity, decreased need for sleep (e.g., feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep), more talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking, flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing, distractibility, increase in goal-directed activity (either

There are several different types of bipolar disorder. The five types are Bipolar 1, Bipolar 2, rapid cycling, mixed bipolar, and cyclothymic. Bipolar 1 is the most serious type of bipolar disorder. Bipolar 1 disorder involves excessive happiness and irritability. This type of disorder can restlessness, or the feeling of being unsettled. Another sign of this disorder is increased energy, from what I observed it can be described as an intense need to get up and go. People with this disorder have racing thoughts. They can think a million things at once. People with this illness also have an increased sex drive. This is a product of their reckless behavior. To have bipolar 1 the person involved must have at least 1 manic episode in their life. Most people who have bipolar 1 often suffer from episodes of depression.

According to the National Health Institute of Mental Health about 2.6% of the adults in the United States are affected by bipolar disorder every year. People who have bipolar disorder experience alternating periods of mania (overly happy) and very deep depression. Untreated bipolar disorder can cause other mental disorders and some physical illnesses too. Although bipolar is a lifelong genetic condition, there are ways to relieve the symptoms. Medication helps stabilize the highs and lows of the condition. The patients also have psychotherapy because it helps them understand and manage their emotions. Bipolar Disorder is caused by genetic and neurological factors; primarily it is caused by the inability of neurotransmitters (chemicals) to balance them properly in the brain.

There are various symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. These symptoms vary depending on if it is a manic or depressive episode. The WebMD website list the following as symptoms for manic and depressive episodes: Manic episodes include reckless behaviors (such as lavish spending sprees, impulsive sexual indiscretions, abuse of alcohol or drugs), needing less sleep in order to feel rested, talking very rapidly or excessively, and distractibility are a few to note. In contrast, the signs of a depressive episode include loss of energy, feelings of guilt, hopelessness, or worthlessness, and contemplating or attempting suicide ("Bipolar Disorder Symptoms and Types - WebMD").

There are different types of depression and one of them is bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive disorder. It is recognized for having different experiences that last for weeks at a time. Episodes may occur several times a year or throughout the year. Manic symptoms include periods of elevated mood or anger. During a manic episode, a patient usually has high energy levels and less need for sleep. Less often, people may experience psychosis. Depression include feeling sad, low energy, low motivation, or loss of interest.

Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder that affects approximately 2.6% of adults over the age of 18 years old in the United States. The disorder is characterized by mood shifts from low depressed states to high manic states. Little is known of what the causes of bipolar disorder are, but as technology advances more research is being done to pinpoint the areas of the brain that cause bipolar disorder and the shifts in mood. One intriguing area of study for a possible cause surrounds NMDA receptors and their role in synaptic plasticity. This paper will explore the possible alternative treatment that has arisen from the research into NMDA receptors and the use of the drug Ketamine, an NMDA antagonist. In studies, Ketamine treatments

As previously stated, bipolar disorder has had a long history without much understanding. Bipolar is a disorder that includes recurring condition including mood swings between the highs of mania and the lows of depression. To best understand bipolar disorder it is detrimental to understand symptoms and characteristics of mania and depression. Mania is not a disorder with in itself, but a very important factor in bipolar disorder. The definition of a manic episode according to Psych Central (2014) is a period of at least a week where a person experiences an elevated, expansive or unusually irritable mood, as well as notably persistent goal oriented activity is present. Examples of this are an inflated sense of self esteem, decreased need for sleep or becoming more social. On the other side of the mood

This is a 25 year old African American female still grieving the loss of her mother who presents with fatigue, lack of appetite, sleep disturbances, suicidal ideations, and anhedonia.

It seems every day that goes by we hear someone being labeled as bipolar or another celebrity is getting diagnosed as being bipolar after their spurts of erratic behavior. I had to ask the question, does anyone really know what it means to be bipolar? Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks (NIMH). Suffering from bipolar disorder can mean suffering from drastic changes in mood from one minute to the next. This illness can make getting through the simplest daily tasks impossible and can even cause the person suffering to become suicidal. There are typically three states that a person with this illness will experience; manic, depressive and mixed states. This illness is typically diagnosed in late teens to early twenties and is treatable, but will usually last a person’s entire life. At this time there are no medical tests or exams performed to determine if a person is suffering from bipolar disorder. Usually a trained mental health professional can determine the diagnosis after evaluating the person. Bipolar disorder can run in families, although there are some relating factors, scientists have not yet determined any keys in genetics as far as passing the illness on.