Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – It was previously called “manic depression” to describe the fluctuation of an individual’s feelings between extreme and lower levels of mania. But today it is known as bipolar disorder, to refer to this mental illness that has two completely different descriptions.
According to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, it is estimated that about 40 to 50 million people in the world suffer from bipolar disorder. “It usually begins in youth, often takes a chronic course, and carries an increased risk of suicide, making it a major public health concern and a cause of global disability,” the hospital explained.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness pointed out that what makes diagnosing and treating someone with bipolar disorder more difficult is that symptoms may not appear for months or even years, or the person may experience both extremes in rapid sequence. Experts explained that fluctuations in mood from high to low and vice versa may affect a person’s behavior, judgement, energy, sleep, and ability to think clearly.
Signs of bipolar disorder: mania
The Mayo Clinic explains that when a person with bipolar disorder is “awake,” they are often cheerful, very happy, excited, and full of energy, but unusual irritability may also be part of the swing.
A person can also be manic or suffer from hypomania, which is a less extreme form of mania, but the symptoms are the same in both cases. The person may be nervous, agitated, optimistic, abnormally confident, and often have an exaggerated sense of well-being. There can be an increase in energy or excitement, along with distraction, racing thoughts, and a decreased need for sleep. The person may be extremely talkative, spend money, make unwise investments, or take sexual risks – all signs of poor decision-making.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most extreme form of mania may cause very noticeable problems at work, school, home, and in social situations. In some cases, people experiencing mania can become disconnected from reality, such as hearing voices, and become paranoid and psychotic, requiring hospitalization.
Signs of bipolar disorder: severe depression
In order for a person to be diagnosed with major depression, they must have several of the following signs:
Feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, sadness and tears, along with loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities, are the main symptoms. His sleep cycle can be affected, such as if he suffers from insomnia or sleeps a lot. Fatigue and loss of energy, along with restlessness, boredom or slowed behavior. In addition, he may experience fluctuation in weight, either a significant increase or decrease, or an increase or decrease in appetite. Hesitation to resolve, decreased concentration and thinking skills, along with feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt are other signs, as are thoughts or attempts of suicide.
Different types of bipolar disorder
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several types of bipolar disorder that differ in how symptoms appear.
Bipolar type I: People with bipolar disorder experience at least one manic episode, accompanied by a period of major depression, or less severe mania. People with bipolar disorder can also experience an episode of psychosis where they become disconnected from reality, which may require hospitalization.
Bipolar type II: People with bipolar II disorder have never had a manic episode. Instead, they had one major depressive episode and a minimum of one hypomanic episode.
Bipolar disorder cyclothymia: In this form of the disease, a person goes through several periods of less severe hypomanic episodes, and periods of depressive symptoms that do not meet the criteria for major depression.
The Mayo Clinic noted that bipolar disorder may also be caused by drug or alcohol abuse, or medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis or stroke.
How is bipolar disorder treated?
Depending on the symptoms and their severity, bipolar treatment involves a number of treatments, some of which can be used simultaneously.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that antipsychotic medications and mood stabilizers are often prescribed. Cognitive behavioral therapy and family therapy are other treatment methods, as are self-management techniques. The coalition noted that exercise, meditation, faith, and prayer “can support treatment, but do not replace it.”
Is bipolar disorder hereditary?
A study by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, an international consortium of scientists whose goal is to study the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders, found 64 DNA variations that increase the risk of developing bipolar disorder.
The study found that these general differences overlap with other mental health conditions. For example, researchers have found that bipolar I disorder is genetically similar to schizophrenia, while bipolar II disorder shares greater genetic similarity with major depression.
2023-11-04 05:21:49
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