UNDERSTANDING BIPOLAR DISORDER
UNDERSTANDING BIPOLAR DISORDER
[CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0) via Wikimedia Commons author by Capra Royale]Source: Photo of a man looking sad and happy.
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever stayed in an extreme cold and hot weather environment, where your lips and skin are drying out because of the damp weather and also your teeth are jittering and chattering at the same time because of the cold? If you have ever experienced harmattan season you will vividly understand what I mean. The harmattan season usually occur during the winter period in the Western part of Africa, it is known for extreme cold, damp, dry and dusty weather, it’s also comes with a rapid changes from the normal temperature of the day and night, and its always unbearable.
Bipolar disorder exists on a spectrum. That is why it can be comparable to temperature, since both exist on a spectrum. The person living with bipolar disorder oscillates between the two ends of the ”poles of mood”, probably, that is why it’s termed bipolar. The higher end is called maniac state while the lower end is known as the depressive state. I first came across the illness in the movie “EMPIRE” where Andre, LUCIOUS first son, was afflicted with it.
This article will help you understand bipolar disorder vividly, it’s various forms, causes, signs and how it can be treated. So whenever you see someone developing any of the symptoms that will be mentioned, you won’t see it as craziness, or pride, but rather, you will treat it seriously. So buckle up your seatbelt, let’s ride deep in.
OVERVIEW
)
This is a mental illness that causes uncontrolled shift in mood, sleep pattern, energy level, behaviour, thereby interfering with the ability of the person suffering from it to live its normal daily life. A bipolar individual can feel like a King right now, the next moment, he sees himself as a servant, sometimes they may feel like they created the whole world, the other time, they feel death smelling everywhere. This extreme and abnormal mood swings are characterized with people living with bipolar disorder.
Anyone can experience mood swings, even the toughest set of people; that is why you can see a soldier, who is known to be tough, sometimes break down in tears. Moods are everywhere and every human, even animals have them; people used them to capture their emotions, how they react to certain events; happy or sad moments; when they hit a million dollar jackpot or when they lost a family member; all this played out in their moods making up how they feel at a particular point in time. All this feelings and how they receive them present a certain kind of mood at a given point in time.
This is why an excited person can feel down upon hearing sad news, likewise an anxious mood may oscillate quickly to an excited mood when a different beautiful picture is painted to a worrisome story. As depressed and heartbroken an average individual could be, it would not take long for the individual to snap out of it. A lot of people cannot stay too depressed or too excited for a longer time.
Though, moods are known to be short-termed, it’s a different ball game for a person living with bipolar disorder; their mood swings stick around for a longer time, and it’s very unpredictable; a month of depressive mood, does not mean the next month will be exciting. These have been a reason so many of them cannot keep healthy relationships, good jobs, and at some point they get tired and decides to end their life.
Bipolar disorder exists in different forms, and it has been broken down to;
BIPOLAR I DISORDER
This is a severe form of bipolar disorder; it is characterized by abnormal high moods that includes an abnormal increase in energy level (manic episodes), and its last for at least 7 days. Depressive moods may or may not occur, but if depressive episodes occur it may last for at least 14 days.
BIPOLAR II DISORDER
This comes with a pattern of depressive moods and hypomanic episodes; this is the less severe form of maniac episodes and its last for at least 4 days. It always less recognizable, because it’s not strong enough to cause a major hit in the social or occupational life of an individual suffering from it.
CYCLOTHYMIC DISORDER
This always lasts for two years for adults and one year for children. It comes with numerous symptoms of hypomanic episodes and depression.
WHAT CAUSES BIPOLAR DISORDER
There are many factors that contribute to produce this illness. Studies revealed that risk factors like genes, family history, the person’s environment, brain structure and activity contribute to this disorder.
Research shows that some chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters like Dopamine, Serotonin, Glutamate, GABA, Norepinephrine, and Melatonin; which act as messengers between neurons in the brain with other factors mentioned above are responsible for the illness.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
_in_Dallas_-_(1).jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYtJVzzqf6A9jwt7E7U1e2u5nJ8nPQSXHUqq2GLa5FwyU/Jumper_(suicide)_in_Dallas_-_(1).jpg))
During maniac and hypomanic episodes, these are the likely signs and symptoms, you might find in an individual, though in hypomanic episodes, it’s less severe;
Possessing a lot of energy.
Having increased activity levels and interest.
Feeling very jumpy, wired or uneasy.
Feeling very up, high, or euphoric.
Having trouble sleeping.
Becoming more active than normal.
Talks really fast about a lot of different things, and jumps from one topic to another.
Be agitated or irritable.
Do risky things, like spend a lot of money or have reckless sex drive.
Displaying lack of concentration.
Having stupid belief's in one's ability, and believing strongly they can do anything.
While in depressive modes, signs and symptoms likely displayed are;
Having very little energy to do anything, not excited or feeling fatigue.
Having decreased activity levels or loss of interest in activities once loved before.
Feeling tired or .slowed down.
Having little sleep or sleeps too much.
Feeling like they can’t enjoy anything or guilty.
Feeling very sad, anxious, troubled or hopeless.
Lack of concentration.
Losing weight or gain unnecessarily.
Eating too much or too little.
Having thoughts about death or suicide.
DIAGNOSIS
Symptoms found in bipolar disorder are similar to other mental illness, which makes it difficult to diagnose it. Bipolar disorder can be confused for substance abuse, anxiety disorder, or schizophrenia if not properly diagnosed.
Maniac episodes are diagnosed if an individual experiences elevated moods with three or more of the other symptoms discussed earlier, most of the day, nearly every day, for one week or longer. If the activity becomes irritating, four more additional symptoms must be present.
While depressive moods are diagnosed if an individual experiences five or more of the depressive symptoms lasting most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of two weeks or longer.
TREATMENT
)
There is no cure for bipolar disorder, it’s a life-long illness, even when there are no break in the treatment process, mood swings can still occur and the doctor should be informed immediately, to make an adjustment to avoid a full-blown episode. As much as these may sound, lessening its impact and the person living a normal life is a worthwhile and obtainable goal. In fact, people with severe forms of bipolar disorder can stabilize their mood swings with proper continuous treatment plan. Working closely with the doctor, and sharing any information about how you react to the treatment will help control the illness.
MEDICATION
Medications usually used to treat bipolar disorder include; mood stabilizers, anticonvulsant medications, atypical antipsychotics, and antidepressants. Mood stabilizers such as Lithium are mainly used for the treatment of bipolar disorder, other additional medications are included, to treat incidence of maniac or depressive episodes.
Anticonvulsant medications are used to treat difficult-to-treat bipolar episodes. It is always combined with Lithium for effective results.
Antidepressants are always used in combination with mood stabilizers, because research had it that, people undergoing treatment with antidepressant medications, are at risk of switching back to mania or hypomania.
Atypical antipsychotics are used for patients who do not respond to lithium or anticonvulsants. It’s also used to relieve psychotic depressions.
PSYCHOTHERAPY
)
Psychotherapy also called talk therapy can be an effective treatment for bipolar disorder when done in combination with medications and its helps in providing education, support and guidance to the patient and its family member.
Psychotherapeutic treatments used in bipolar disorder are psychoeducation, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), family therapy, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (ISRT).
Psychoeducation is used in teaching the patient and family members about illness and its treatment and also to recognize symptoms against future full-blown episodes.
CBT guides the patient on how to react positively to negative thoughts arising from the mood swings.
Family therapy educates the family members on the stress they might feel due to the destructive effects of the symptoms.
ISRT improves the patient’s interpersonal relationship with others and help regulates its daily activities.
ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY
)
When all other treatment plans are not working or are too slow to stop the patient from having suicidal thoughts, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is always considered. It’s also used in treating pregnant women developing episodes since the use of medications is too risky. It’s a highly effective treatment plan in dealing with severe manic or depressive episodes.
CONCLUSION
Bipolar disorder may seem like a difficult disease to treat, because most times it is clearly misunderstood for another illness and may not be seen as a mental illness when it manifests in an individual. That’s why, important signs like a sudden change in behaviour or lifestyle should be watched out for.
Also, anyone thinking about committing suicide should be taken very serious, because risk of suicide develops in the course of the illness, and the patient should be advice to visit a mental health facility as soon as possible, because bipolar patients need help to get help.
Finally, even though episodes may reoccur, it is important to understand that bipolar disorder is an illness that has no cure, and it’s long-term, so staying on treatment, even during periods without episodes, can help curbed the illness, and reduce the chance of having reoccurring episodes.
REFERENCES
People often disregard the severity and urgency with all mental illness including bipolar disorder. Its more or less like depression in which often people just label you as lazy when there is a real problem deep inside of you
Yes its really a thing of concern, sometimes they will be likened to people on hard drugs, because they share similar characteristics.
I had a case of a friend's brother who had bipolar disorder, they took him to a prayer house instead of a hospital, until they boy started being destructive that's when they hid to my advice of him seeing a psychiatrist.
Good explanation regarding bipolar disorder ! Alternating mania and depression. I still remember getting a bipolar disorder type 1 as my long case during the psychiatric posting.
Wow...I'm still in awe, even after this research, how psychiatrist are able to diagnose this illness, especially in this era, where drug abuse is a menace.