How do you know you have Bipolar Disorder?
There are many different factors that can attribute to making someone depressed. Often times the illness is not something that happens over night but over time. There are many life situations that can attribute to ones illness from a truck driver to a white collar professional. There are no age boundaries for this type of illness and it can affect men and women equally. Whatever your situation there is a reason for the way you feel!
Anyone suffering from bipolar disorder has to deal with this condition every day. Many people often don’t realize that they have an illness and may feel isolated by feeling the way they do. Taking the steps necessary this illness can be managed if given the right tools!
Before, the condition was popularly called manic depression. But now, it is called bipolar because of the two extreme poles that make up the condition. A good example is the globe having a north and a south pole. When an individual experiences different symptoms associated with one pole, then he’s having an episode.
Episode Types
The four main areas of episodes are depression, mania, hypomania and mixed mood. The most severe of the four episodes is mania where someone could be expressing emotions of joy and happiness to anger. Individuals that have this type of emotion tend to exhibit a risky behavior pattern. A milder version of mania is hypomania which is the same as mania but without the extremes of emotion. Mixed mood is the combination of both the mania and depression mixed together.
Main symptoms
Symptoms are divided into depression and mania. Depression symptoms include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt. These individuals sleep too much or too little and experience changes in appetite or weight. They always feel tired, restless, and can’t make a sound decision. The worst case is when the person thinks about suicide and death. Mania symptoms include an increase in the level of energy, racing thoughts, sleeps less, easily distracted, more self-confident, more talkative, focused but accomplishes little, and often do extreme or unusual activities.
Types
Here are the four main types of bipolar:
1. Bipolar 1 ? This type of bipolar often displays manic and mixed episodes as well as depression. These types of emotions can last from days to months in duration. One main catalyst for this type of bipolar is seasonal change.
2. Bipolar II ? this involves major episodes of depression and a hypomania episode. Normal functioning can also take place in between the said episodes.
3. Cyclothymic Disorder ? This type of disorder is considered a milder form of hypomania and depression episodes, which occurs with less frequency.
4. Not Specified ? of the four types of disorder this one is the most treatable. This best explains the symptoms of the individual when they do not fall into the three types of disorder just mentioned.
Bottom line their is no known cause of bipolar disorder. There has been reference made to genetics as being one reason why. The truth is the medical community cannot pin point the cause to just one area when so many factors can all have a part in the disorder.
People from different races, ethnic groups, children, teenagers, or young/older adults can suffer from bipolar disorder. The brain cells of each individual don’t work normally if there is an imbalance in the neurotransmitters. These are special chemicals that seem to be involved in the disorder.
If you think you or a loved one have symptoms of bipolar, please take the time to consult with a medical doctor to get your options and do it as soon as possible!