What Are Bipolar Disorder?

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:

According to the video's statistic, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder increased to four thousand percent during the last decade. This labeling process seems to be almost a medical crime, where modern "Walter Freemans" easily manipulate and experiment the biochemical processes in the developing child's brain by using strong mood stabilizers and antipsychotic drugs. Nevertheless, it puzzled me why so many doctors do not want to start with a mild therapeutical approach. For example, in many other countries treating childhood's behavior problems with pharmaceutical substances is still almost a nonexistent practice. Instead of medications, other therapies are offered through special programs in school or kindergarten, where children learned to develop coping mechanisms.

Bipolar disorder is a manic-depressive lifelong illness in the brain that causes shifts in mood, energy, activity, and the ability to carry out normal tasks, but efficient treatment helps people to manage these complications and normalize their daily lives. This illness is a very serious mental disease affecting about 2.6 percent of adults in the United States that has the power to cause risky behavior and even suicidal tendencies if not treated (www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml). It is more common in older teens and young adults, but it affects children as young as six years old. It affects men and women, all races, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic classes equally but women experience more periods of depression than

•Up to one-third of the 3.4 million children and adolescents with depression in the United States may actually be experiencing the early onset of bipolar

The stigma associated with bipolar disorder is unacceptable. The purpose of this paper is to improve the readers ability to understand what bipolar disorder is and how being diagnosed with this disorder affects all facets of daily living. Family, friends and associates of individuals with bipolar disorder are often affected as well. As a result of the stigma associated with the disorder, the effects remain: often multiplied by individuals that have a limited understanding of the disorder. There are numerous myths related to individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Hopefully a few of these myths will be put to rest after learning more about the disorder.

Bipolar disorder has been gaining more and more attention over the last few years. With shootings on the rise, or at least the publicity of them, people are often pointing their fingers at mental diseases including bipolar disorder. An ongoing issue regarding mental illnesses, however, is the population has failed to fully understand what they truly are, the symptoms, and how to treat them.

Bipolar disorder is an affliction that affects many Americans. Children who live with parents who have this disorder often are neglected. Children are often not able to have a voice within their homes. The quality of life, emotional stability and childhood necessities are impacted by children raised by bipolar parents.

A way to describe my condition that I have; bipolar disorder, is it a brain disorder that causes me to have mental breakdowns, change of mood, my activity level with others or myself, or just living a regular life. There are two types of bipolar disorders which are Bipolar 1 or Bipolar 2 which is the one I have. I feel like bipolar to carries more problems because I've been diagnosed to have more major depressive episodes like mood swings, for example, other than Bipolar 1.

When a seventh grader at Frederick Area High School in Frederick, South Dakota, was asked to describe what bipolar disorder is, he said that it refers to people that “change personalities fast” (McGaugh). However, this is only a common misconception. Though the word “bipolar” is often used in conversations to describe a person that has mood swings, bipolar disorder actually refers to a serious mental illness. According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, about 2.6 percent of American adults suffer from a form of bipolar disorder, and about one in five people with bipolar disorder commits suicide. Despite the impact that bipolar disorder has on the lives of patients and families alike, it is treated casually by people across the United States. Even though many treat it flippantly, bipolar disorder is a serious mental ailment, and the public needs to have a greater understanding of it.

When a seventh grader at Frederick Area High School in Frederick, South Dakota, was asked to describe what bipolar disorder is, he said that it refers to people that “change personalities fast” (McGaugh). However, this is only a common misconception. Though the word “bipolar” is often used in conversations to describe a person that has mood swings, bipolar disorder actually refers to a serious mental illness. According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, about 2.6 percent of American adults suffer from a form of bipolar disorder, and about one in five people with bipolar disorder commits suicide. Despite the impact that bipolar disorder has on the lives of patients and families alike, it is treated casually by people across the United States. Even though many treat it flippantly, bipolar disorder is a serious mental ailment, and the public needs to have a greater understanding of it.

Early-onset bipolar disorder is a chronic mood disturbance that causes dramatic shifts in one’s mood that is uncharacteristic of their normal mood and behavior. This hereditary behavioral disorder causes mood swings from extreme lows, depression, to extreme highs, mania. It usually occurs in mid- to late-adolescence but can appear as early as elementary school. The unique symptoms of this age group are angry and aggressive outbursts followed by periods of remorse and guilt, declining academic performance, extreme moodiness, inability to handle frustration or control at least one of the child’s body systems (e.g. bedwetting) and worsening disruptive behavior. If left untreated, the individual could become a danger to themselves or others,

In life people go through experiences that cause their moods to change for the better or for the worse. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the operational definition of bipolar disorder, identify the additional specifiers, comorbidity, prevalence and discuss the cost of treating the disorder. Also, a detailed explanation will be provided about the population most impacted by the selected disorder and evidence-based approaches to assessing the disorder will be presented. In addition, evidence-based treatment approaches to address the disorder will be displayed. Last, a summary will be shared by relating an intervention from the evidence-based treatment approach to each of the themes of School of Social Work Advocacy, Empowerment and transformation.