Bipolar disorders or manic-depressive disorders are characterized by sharp fluctuations in an individual's activity, thinking, and mood.
People with bipolar disorders, for example, experience stages of depression, dissociation, and unusual emotional mood, which are accompanied by a clear increase in activity.
If the severity of these stages is weak, they are called hypomania. In addition, hypomania shows symptoms (signs of psychosis), such as paranoia.
There are two types of bipolar disorder:
1. Bipolar disorder (type 1) is characterized by severe manic episodes and depression.
2. Bipolar disorder(type 2) is also accompanied by the onset of depressive episodes, which may be alternated with non-acute manic episodes - episodes of hypomania.
What Are Its Symptoms?
Episodes of hypomania are known as the appearance of unusually elevated or emotional moods over four consecutive days.
This is also accompanied by at least three of the following characteristics:
• increased activity
• stress
• frequent talk
• difficulties concentrating
• decreased need for sleep
• increased libido
• impulsive behaviour and an increase in the desire to socialize with others
It can also be – sometimes – both creativity and the ability to perform much higher than the level they normally would be. The symptoms are not so severe that this can have social consequences for the subject, such as job loss or marginalization.
The mood during a manic episode is unusually high or emotional for at least a week so the symptoms are a major obstacle in the individual's daily life.
At first, however, the manic phase can also bring with it an increase in performance. At least three of the following characteristics must be available:
• increased activity
• anxiety
• hyperactivity
• distraction (speaking quickly continuously with a sudden transition from one topic to another)
• feeling that there is an acceleration of thoughts
• loss of social barriers
• decreased need for sleep
• amplified sense of self-worth
• distraction of mind
• the constant change in activities
• impulsive or reckless behaviour
• an increase in libido
If someone has been experiencing severe mood swings over two years, which are not as severe as the fluctuations caused by episodes of manic depression, this is called cyclothymia.
This is a mild form of bipolar disorder. If the condition defines a person having more than four episodes of illness a year, this is called (rapid-cycling bipolar disorder).
How Does Bipolar Disorder Arise?
A clear cause of the injury has not yet been identified. It is currently assumed that this is due to the so-called multifactorial event.
This includes biological causes such as changes in genes and the regimen of brain chemicals, or hormonal changes.
There are also environmental factors that may play a role, such as permanent psychological stress, the early loss of a loved one, or traumatic experiences such as sexual, emotional, or physical abuse.
Differs - in the light of such factors - susceptibility to mental illness of each individual. For example, if a stressful event is added to this, it may cause some people to develop a mental illness such as bipolar disorder.
How Can One Tell If They Have Bipolar Disorder?
It is necessary to resort to a detailed interview with a psychologist to determine whether it concerns the case of bipolar disorder.
More than 90 out of 100 people with bipolar disorder (type 1) have multiple seizures. Most people experience manic episodes much less frequently than depressive episodes.
Therefore, depression often has an impact on the course of the disease.
Varies From Person To Person
The course of the disease varies greatly from person to person and is related to various factors – including the patient's age at the onset of the disease, their gender, or whether they have other mental illnesses.
However, suicidal thoughts or preconceived hints of suicide (killing oneself) need to be taken seriously, as the desire to commit suicide is announced in advance in 8 to 9 out of 10 suicides.
In case of acute suicidal thoughts, seek emergency therapeutic help. "Acute" refers to situations in which a person concretely intends to put an end to his life and makes a plan for it.
However, seeking such assistance is often extremely difficult for the injured.
How Is Bipolar Disorder Treated?
The patient's concern for self-control and self-responsibility may be instrumental in treatment – more than long ago assumed.
People with bipolar type disorders for this purpose usually start with psychotherapy – often also accompanied by taking medications.
The goal remains to alleviate the current symptoms of the bipolar disease stage and prevent the onset of any future symptoms.
Medications may not completely prevent a patient from recurring bipolar attacks, but they do reduce them or extend the interval until the next seizure appears.
Psychotherapeutic Methods
Psychotherapeutic methods of therapy are very effective. This is especially true if these methods take into account both personal
problems and the affected person's strengths and involve their relatives in treatment.
This should be done as much as possible at the beginning of treatment - provided that the patient agrees to this.
Subjecting the patient to treatment consisting of drug therapy and psychotherapy is often necessary and useful to start appropriate treatment.
Written By: Mohamed Mouafak
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