Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Everyone has their ups and downs, but with bipolar people these ups and downs are extreme. Bipolar is a lifelong mental illness and it involves going through mania (a high feeling) and depression. They can go from extremes of feeling egotistic, happy, motivated and superior amongst others, to a crash of feeling helpless, sad, and have loss of energy. Sometimes they will have a normal mood in between. There are different types of bipolar disease.

The word bipolar itself has meaning to the illness when it is broken down. The "bi" part stands for the number two, and the "polar" means phases. The top phase is mania/hypo-mania, with the hypo being the less extreme form of it. (According to Marybeth) mania is "an excessively intense enthusiasm, interest, or desire; a craze. Violent abnormal behavior occurs with with rapidly changing ideas, exaggerated sexuality, gaiety, or irritability, and decreased sleep." The opposing phase to this illness is depression, which can very from severe, to moderate or mild)

Bipolar I disorder is the strongest and most severe. At least one manic(mania) episode is experienced. And psychotic features such as hallucinations, delusions and paranoia can occur. The depressions that serves with this disorder is severe. In bipolar II instead of mania, only hypo-mania occurs with no psychotic features; and a moderate form of depression.The next one in line is bipolar cyclothymia, which is a lifelong condition where the person's moods alter between hypo-mania and depression (at a less severe state). The last type is mixed bipolar which is where a person experiences both extremes of mania and depression at the same time or one after the other in a fast order.

Bipolar is acquired by chemical imbalance due to not enough lithium and osmosis. Treatments for people with bipolar is to be put on mood stabilizers, anti-depressants and benzodiazepines (to relax them during manic episodes), along with therapy. In some rare cases electroconvulsive therapy is used. There is no cure or prevention, but with the treatments can the extremes can be some what controlled. Another part of treatment is participation in leisure activities. The people exercise or play sports to help with their energy levels, endorphins and with their social skills.

People with bipolar have brain function and cognitive impairments; they have problems keeping relationships, jobs, and can have dangerous behavior. Their lives are affected greatly because of this disease. Some people are born with it or develop it later on. Although it is incurable, it possible to still live a normal life with proper treatment.

Bibliography

"What Is the Difference between Mania and Hypomania?" Home | Ask a Bipolar. Marybeth, 03 Feb. 2011. Web.

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