Bipolar disorder is often called manic-depression and it is a mental disorder characterized by wild mood swings and fluctuations in energy. These fluctuations make completing everyday tasks difficult. Bipolar is a very serious mental illness as it has the tendency to damage relationships, careers and school performance. The mood swings go from mania to depression.
Everyone in every walk of life has mood swings and ups and downs in their lives; bipolar disorder is not that, it is far more severe. It can be incapacitating and debilitating; however, the good news is, it can be treated. With the correct medication, a person can get his life back, performing well at work and school.
The shift from mania to depression:
- Mania is the period when the sufferer becomes reckless, restless, talks a lot and is full of energy. It is during this phase of the disorder that the sufferer will take risks.
- Depression, on the other hand, is the opposite of mania. This is when the sufferer feels sad, cries a lot, feels worthless, has low energy and experiences of sleeplessness.
The causes of bipolar disorder:
It would appear from the results of research that there is a genetic element in bipolar disorder. People with a relative with the disorder have a significantly higher risk of developing it than those who don’t.
Researchers have found that patients suffering from the disease often have physical changes within the brain, but the experts still do not know why these biological changes lead to the disorder.
An imbalance in neurotransmitters plays a key role in mood disorders, including depression. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that aid in the communication between brain cells and include dopamine.
It is also thought that environmental factors such as stress or a significant loss in one’s life or some other trauma may lead to bipolar disorder. These traumas may be the loss of a parent when very young, the loss of a job, a child’s birth or even moving house. It appears that if all the variables are right at a certain time, the disorder is triggered. Once the disorder starts, it gets progressively worse, almost taking on a life of its own.
What are the symptoms and signs?
The signs and symptoms can vary depending upon the type of the disorder, there are some things though that may be present during the periods of manic and depression.
Manic:
- Feeling as if the person is on top of the word
- Over-confident, inflated esteem and ego
- Rapid and obsessive talking
Depression:
- Very sad, a feeling of gloom and despair
- Anxious about the most trivial things
- A feeling of guilt, that they are at fault for everything wrong
There are many other traits, but what is important is that the condition can be treated, the person who suffers bipolar disorder can, with the help of medications, go on to live a normal life.
The professionals at Valley Hospital in Phoenix, AZ are very aware of bipolar disorder and can put the sufferer on the path to wellness quickly.
