Bipolor Disorder

In today's society there are many different psychological disorders that people face on a daily basis. Often times the individuals know they even have the disorder until someone else recognizes it. One particular disorder is the Bipolar disorder. It has many different classifications and definitions, symptoms, and treatments. It is very inportant to notice this disorder in its beginning stages so it can be controlled.

The bipolar disorder has often been classified and defined by many different terms. Its been also known a manic depressive illness, characterized by extreme and disabling highs, considered to be mania, and low points, known as depression. It effects a considerable amount of Americans, which usually begins in adolescence or young adulthood and continues through life. Its been proved that many individuals who have this disorder experience multiple manic episodes, and even end their lives in suicide.

The disorder is distinguished from Major Depressive Disorder by the presence of manic or hypomanic episodes. It comes from Schizoaffectice Disorder by the absence of psychotic symptoms, such as delusions, hallucination's, during periods of stable mood. This disorder has a wide spectrum of disorders. One that includes in the spectrum is its beginning stage of Bipolar One. Bipolar One is characterized by a past of a least one manic episode, and usually depressive episodes. The next stage is Bipolar Two is characterized by the hypomanic episodes taking turns with depressive episodes. Cyclothymia is characterized by highs which satisfy some, but not completley all criteria for hypomania and lows which satisfy some but not all criteria for depression.

The wide variety of symptoms include a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive or irritable mood, lasting at least one week or any duration if hospitalization if it becomes necessary. During the period of mood disturbance, three or more of the following symptoms have persisted, four if the mood is only irritable and have been present to a significant degree: inflated self-esteem or grandiosity, decreased need for sleep and only feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep. The symptoms also include the desire to be more talkative then usual or pressure to keep talking, flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing, distractibilty, increase in goal directed activity, excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences, and many more.

Doctors and researchers do not know exactly what causes bipolar disorder. But a variety of biologic, genetic and environmental factors seem to be involved in causing and triggering episodes of the disorder. Evidence indicates that differences in the chemical messengers between nerve cells in the brain, also called neurotransmitters, occur in people who have bipolar disorder. In many cases people with the bipolar disorder may have genetic disposition for the disorder. The abnormality may be in genes that regulate neurotransmitters. Factors that may contribute to or trigger episodes of bipolar disorder include drug abuse and stressful or psychologically traumatic events.

It has been concluded that the bipolar disorder tends to run in families. A family history appears to exist in most cases of bipolar disorder. Researchers are attempting to identify genes that may make people susceptible to the bipolar disorder.

Your doctor may ask you or a family member who has accompanied you about your signs and symptoms and to describe apparent episodes of mania and depression. Diagnosis also involves ruling out other mental health conditions that may produce some symptoms similar to bipolar disorder. These may include other mood disorders, sometimes schizophrenia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or borderline personality disorder.

Other problems, such as anxiety disorder or alcoholism, may affect people with bipolar disorder. The length, severity and frequency of mood swings vary from person to person. In about 15 percent of people with bipolar disorder, there is rapid cycling, with more frequent and shorter periods of mood disturbance. It's also possible for mania and depression to be present at the same time. In this mixed state, you may experience combinations of agitation, disturbances in