Bipolar Disorder

Everyone has highs and lows, ups and downs, good days and bad days. Mood changes are normal. However, the mood changes experienced in bipolar disorder are extreme.

Bipolar disorder is one in when patients experience extreme changes in mood, energy, and behavior. They alternate or switch between two opposite emotions. Bi means "two" and polar means "opposite". Their mood repeatedly alternates from extremely happy or high to extreme sadness and hopelessness. In between these extremes, their mood might be calm.

People with bipolar disorder cannot control their mood changes. They might realize the problem, but when they are seized with mood change, they are unable to do anything about it.

High & Low Emotions

People with bipolar disorder ride an emotional roller coaster. They soar high and then plunge low. These mood extremes are called episodes. The high times are called mania while the low times are called depression. Each episode can last from a few weeks to several months. Manic depression is another name for bipolar disorder.

These episodes of bipolar disorder vary in pattern, length and frequency. The differences among the episodes point out to individual reactions and how a person is affected by bipolar disorder. These differences also influence the treatment for this disease.

The highs and lows can be terrifying for people with bipolar disorder. Many people with undiagnosed or unidentified bipolar disorder don't understand why they feel the way they do. They often are unhappy, angry and frustrated and feel emotionally out of control.

Mania - The Highs

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder – the Highs

• During a manic episode, people with bipolar disorder may feel excited and restless.
• They feel like they are on top of the world. Nothing, not even bad news, can affect their happiness.
• They have intense energy and may go for days without sleep.
• They have countless ideas for things they want to achieve. Thoughts race through their mind, and they talk rapidly. They believe they can do anything.
• People experiencing manic episodes often are irritable and easily angered. They may start fights or arguments without any reason.
• They are easily distracted and rarely follow their grand plans.

They are unable to pay attention to one thing at a time. During a manic episode, they make foolish decisions and even act recklessly. Wild spending sprees and careless driving are typical behaviors. Their sex drive is unusually high. They take risks such as having unprotected sex with people they don't know well.

People with serious mania have hallucinations too. They may see, hear, or taste things that aren't really there. People with serious mania also have delusions or strange, unreal ideas. Sometimes people with bipolar disorder cannot remember having a manic episode. When they are told about an episode, they feel frustrated and confused.

Depression - The Lows

During an episode of depression, people with bipolar disorder feel sad and empty. Nothing can cheer them up. They have constant feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness. People experiencing an episode of depression often feel tired and slowed down. They also lose interest in daily activities and pleasures.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder – the Lows

• They often have difficulty concentrating and making decisions.
• Depression can affect a person's physical health. People who are depressed may gain weight or lose weight without trying.
• They have aches and pains that are not caused by physical illness or injury.
• People who are depressed may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

During an episode of depression, people with bipolar disorder lose the ability to function in daily life. They may be unable to go to school or to work. They spend days or weeks in bed. Suicide, or killing themselves, may seem like the only way to escape their emotional pain.

Who Gets Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder affects males and females equally. It can develop at any age. In fact, more and more children are being diagnosed with the disease. Symptoms or signs first appear in late teens or early twenties and it may take several years to develop fully. Often people don't realize they have bipolar disorder because they don't think of the highs as part of illness. If untreated, bipolar disorder worsens as the person gets older.

Bipolar disorder tends to run in families. About 80 to 90% of people with bipolar disorder have relatives with depression. However, a family history of bipolar disorder does not mean that every family member will suffer from it. Scientists are working hard to discover a link between genes and bipolar disorder.

Causes of Bipolar Disorder

The exact causes of bipolar disorder have not been discovered till yet. An episode of mania or depression may occur for no apparent reason. Brain chemistry, genetics, and environment all seem to have a part.

Some of the theories regarding causes of bipolar disorder are:

Lack of Neurotransmitters

Scientists believe that lack of neurotransmitters may cause brain malfunction. These chemicals help brain cells communicate with each other. Irregular production of hormones, the chemicals that regulate growth and development also plays a role.

Calcium buildup in Brain Cells

Another possibility is buildup of calcium in brain cells. This mineral is important for development and repair of bones and teeth. However, like anything else, excess of calcium can cause bipolar disorder.

Environmental Causes

A time something stressful in environment may trigger an episode. It might be a divorce or death of a loved one. It might be something that seems unimportant too, like missing the bus. People with bipolar disorder often are unable to withstand even small amount of stress and it can trigger an attack.

Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions can bring about manic or depressive episodes. They include a stroke, brain tumor or a seizure disorder. A seizure is a sudden, abnormal activity in the brain. Street drugs and prescription medicines also may trigger symptoms of mania and depression.

Bipolar disorder is not a weakness in a person's character, it is a treatable illness. It needs proper and timely diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care to treat bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis

Two methods have been used to look at the brain of people with bipolar disorder. They are called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET).