Clive Harman asked:


 

Bipolar is considered as a major disorder that can greatly affect an individual and his family. There are many definitions of this illness. One definition states that a person with bipolar disorder experiences extreme elations that alternates with deep depression. Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression. Generally, it is characterized by depressive episodes and accompanied by a manic episode.

To put it simply, bipolar disorder affects feelings, thoughts, behavior, and perceptions. Experts say that it is brought about by the chemical and electrical elements found in the brain that are not functioning properly. Some say that it runs in the family, so families having a history of bipolar disorder or other mental illnesses are more prone to having the disorder.

There are certain medications given for bipolar patients, and not all of them are quite comfortable in taking daily doses of different medications. Most of them are interested to secure supplemental or alternative therapies rather than taking prescription medications.

Omega 3

There are many researches showing that omega 3 found in fish oils and in certain fishes are excellent for bipolar patients, as well as those having mental illnesses. There was a significant research done in 30 bipolar patients for four months. It was a placebo-controlled and double-blind study. It aims to compare omega 3’s efficacy versus olive oil or placebo for the treatment of bipolar disorder.

According to researchers, bipolar disorder is a neuropsychiatic illness that has a high mortality and morbidity. In their preliminary study, it was proven that omega 3 performed better and resulted to longer remissions based on the four scales of symptom-severity. Further studies are still underway, and researchers are hoping that they can come up with new classes of psychotropic compounds that can be used as mood stabilizers.

Herbal

Most people resolve to the use of herbal supplements instead of taking prescribed drug medications. But not all herbs are good for the treatment of bipolar disorder. In fact, there are certain herbs that can worsen the condition of a bipolar patient. Some herbal supplements actually have a harmful reaction when used together with certain drugs. Consult your doctor first before taking any herbal medication in conjunction with other drugs.

Nutrition and Your Diet

You have to adjust your diet, and this means checking your meal menus everyday. The nutrients which the body receives are very important. Holistic physicians use b-complex, magnesium, and thiamin for episodes of depression.

Pastoral Counseling

If you’re suffering from bipolar disorder, you can also talk to your pastor, priest, or rabbi instead of talking to therapists. The religious community may be of great help during these times. In fact, the community is now recognizing the role of spirituality and prayers. In can even be included in psychotherapies and medication.

Art Therapies

If you’re always staying at home, then perhaps you might want to join expressive therapies. Through the arts, you can express freely your feelings and do so without inhibitions. You can enroll in a drawing class, sculpting, painting, and many others. Find an appropriate therapist in your locality who specializes in art therapies or expressive therapies.

If you want movement, enroll in a dance therapy. Let your feet fly and your spirit soar while incorporating your physical, cognitive, and emotional facets to the dance.

Soothing music can make a person relax. So why not enroll in sound or music therapy? Your body chemicals can be stimulated to improve blood pressure and flow, breathing, pulse rate, and changes in posture.

Traditional Medicine

Traditional medicines or the culturally based ones like shiatsu, reiki, acupuncture, yoga, Ayurveda, talking circles, and sweat lodge are only typical examples. All these healing arts are based on balancing the states of the physical, spiritual, and emotional for the wellness of an individual. If the forces in your body are imbalanced, you will likely get an illness.

If all these things are combined: omega 3, herbal, right diet, pastoral counselling, art therapies, and traditional healing arts, perhaps the forces of the body can be balanced and a bipolar patient can be treated effectively. But remember to consult your doctor for any problems that you may encounter, and don’t just stop your prescribed medication if you have one. Continue using it, and ask your doctor if you can also use other alternative medication.

As important as it is to find a cure-it is impossible to do so if those who suffer do not seek it so if you or someone you know suffers from depression seek medical attention immediately. More information on depression can be found on Clive Harman’s site

http://www.healthinterest.com



Lloyd

Mama J. asked:


My son is bipolar and the school has recomended that I put him into an inpatient psychiatric program at a hospital for an evaluation and med change. I am wondering what is the criteria for hospitalizing a child with bipolar because he is not suicidal although he does do some unsafe behaviors and is aggressive with adults, peers, and animals. He rages and is not stable on his meds.

Norma

Box Chick asked:


I’m 31, over weight and bipolar. What would be the best medicine? How much would it cost? I take Zoloft now.

Norma

Maybe asked:


for about two and a half years now i’ve been getting really bad mood swings. at first i thought it was simply part of being a teenager, but now i find it hard to believe that.
eg:
i’ll be with my friends having a good time, then suddenly i’ll get really upset over literally nothing. i’ll feel like i need comfort, i can cry, i can feel hopeless, and that no one likes me, that i can’t do anything right, etc. then, i’ll be ecstatic for no reason, jumping, laughing non stop, skipping and not being able to hold still. then suddenly, everything will close in and i can’t have anyone near me, any noise made, anything happening, i HAVE to get away, i do anything to get away from people, and everything is too much. i have these sort of severe feelings and more, and the scariest bit is they appear in any order and unexpectedly. could i have bipolar, or similar? what should i do to find out? im scared of talking to mum, but what would happen if i went to a counsellor?
i just braved telling mum…
she reacted how i expected
told me i didn’t know how good i have things and that i’m being silly, everyone goes through it
she asked me if i ever wanted to kill myself, and i said no…
you don’t tell the truth when parents ask you that, you cant

Hazel

^iLouu asked:


I’m on anti-depressents, but recently I heard of bipolar disorder, and that sounds much more like what I have than depression! How can I tell whether i have it or not? What are the causes and symptoms? I just want to find out the facts so I can be sure of what I am really suffering from.

Paula

peterhutch asked:


The cause of bipolar disorder is unclear, but hereditary, biological, and psychological factors may play a part. For example, the incidence of bipolar disorder among relatives of affected patients is higher than in the general population and highest among maternal relatives. The closer the relationship, the greater the susceptibility. Children with one affected parent have a 25% chance of developing bipolar disorder; children with two affected parents, a 50% chance. The incidence of this illness in siblings is 20% to 25%; in identical twins, the incidence is 66% to 96%.

While the exact cause of bipolar disorder (manic depression) has yet to be determined, there is a great deal of scientific evidence that indicates a chemical imbalance in the brain. As for what causes this imbalance, there are a number of viable theories, which center on a combination of heredity and environmental triggers. Presented here is information relevant to these theories.

According to the U.S. government’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “There is no single cause for bipolar disorder — rather, many factors act together to produce the illness.” “Because bipolar disorder tends to run in families, researchers have been searching for specific genes passed down through generations that may increase a person’s chance of developing the illness.” “In addition, findings from gene research suggest that bipolar disorder, like other mental illnesses, does not occur because of a single gene.”

When talking about biological causes, the first issue is whether bipolar disorder can be inherited. This question has been researched through multiple family, adoption and twin studies. In families of persons with bipolar disorder, first-degree relatives (parents, children, siblings) are more likely to have a mood disorder than the relatives of those who do not have bipolar disorder. Studies of twins indicate that if one twin has a mood disorder, an identical twin is about three times more likely than a fraternal twin to have a mood disorder as well.

Brain-imaging studies are helping scientists learn what goes wrong in the brain to produce bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. New brain-imaging techniques allow researchers to take pictures of the living brain at work, to examine its structure and activity, without the need for surgery or other invasive procedures. These techniques include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). There is evidence from imaging studies that the brains of people with bipolar disorder may differ from the brains of healthy individuals.

Genes are the blueprint for all cells and their contents. Scientists thus believe that changes to genes can lead to faulty proteins being produced within brain cells. These faulty proteins may then result in bipolar disorder. But genes are not the whole story. Studies of identical twins, who share all the same genes, indicate that both genes and other factors play a role in bipolar disorder. If bipolar disorder were caused entirely by genes, then the identical twin of someone with the illness would always develop the illness, and research has shown that this is not the case. But if one twin has bipolar disorder, the other twin is more likely to develop the illness than is another sibling.

Bipolar disorder involves periods of elevated mood, or mania. Usually—but not alwaysthe disorder also involves periods of depression. In a typical case, a person with bipolar disorder cycles between these two extremes—experiencing recurrent episodes of both elevated and depressed mood, often with symptom-free stretches in between.



Nancy

Clive Harman asked:


Bipolar disorder, also called as manic-depressive disease has severe effects on the life of the sufferer as well as those people closest to them. The patients need almost everybody’s attention. They need it from their psychiatrist, physicians, close friends, and supportive networks.

There are approximately 2 million people who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder. But most of them are unaware that such condition is present. It is because it can trigger any time. In most cases, the bipolar symptom started to manifest during adolescence or early adulthood. Fortunately, there is nothing to worry about because this brain disorder is treatable. You just need to recognise different symptoms to achieve proper diagnosis as well as treatment.

If you know someone who is suffering from a bipolar disease then you already know the effects in their daily lives. However, it does not necessarily mean that a person with bipolar disorder is always down and depressed. Their moods just have a tendency to alter from an extremely high to an extremely low status. This mood swings is very hard to recognise. Coping with such condition is also difficult since the patient is also affected physically.

Always expect for a worst scenario. Never forget that persistent highs and lows of moods in most patients can mean committing ******* in the end. It is because they think that it is their way to escape. If this is often the case, calling 911/999 is important. Do not think that you would waste their time if ever nothing happened. What matters most is that you have avoided any worst consequences.

Reoccurrences of the illness is possible thus it can affect a person throughout his or her life. Lifetime treatment is applicable through building and maintaining a strong support group. But the first step for achieving successful results in the future is to learn some basic tips on how to spot a bipolar symptom of a bipolar disorder. 

Bipolar symptom 1            it is very easy to determine manic episodes. The most distinguishing factor is euphoric mood and increased level of energy. These characteristics are easily noticed and very evident. It is obvious that a person first manifested a depressed mood for a longer period of time. Other signs include spending sprees, loss of concentration, and increased drive for ***.

Bipolar symptom 2            Spotting depression can be quite easy but sometimes it can be misinterpreted as a bad day. An anxious or a sad mood over an extended duration of time is a very obvious sign of a depressed person. This is the first characteristic you must look for. Another is lack of interest on the things which was once enjoyed by the person, including *** or hobbies. 

Bipolar symptom 3            Mood swings associated with serious cases of bipolar disorder can later display psychosis symptoms including delusions and hallucinations. These are also easier to recognize. However, the sufferer may not be aware of it.

Bipolar symptom 4            to spot a mixed state of a bipolar disorder, you should know that the sufferer is simultaneously experiencing both depression and mania. It can include sleep deficiency, agitation, and appetite changes. The patient having this kind of bipolar disorder can become very depressed, yet he or she still possesses a very high energy level.

Bipolar symptom 5            the bipolar symptom that is considered to be the most horrifying is morbid thoughts. Most people ignore it subconsciously hoping that it will just soon vanish. Suspecting a patient who have morbid thoughts and contemplates ******* must be acted upon immediately. Call 911/999 if necessary to prevent worse consequences from happening.

Keep in mind that recognising these bipolar symptoms correctly is important to reveal the real nature of a bipolar disease. Improper diagnosis can lead to prolong or lifetime suffering. The patients can seek advice from professionals when depression attacks them but sometimes they are not disclosing their manic behaviours. It is because they linked it with normalcy or happiness.

Recently, more and more people are getting the proper education regarding the distinguishing symptoms of a bipolar disorder because of the attentions given on its research and studies. Guidance is available through excellent resources such as reputable websites or local clinics which provide detailed information. Never forget that the debilitating nature of a bipolar disorder can be stopped to lead productive and healthy lives.



Chester

Veronica Fisher asked:


Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis characterized by swings between depression and mania with mixed symptoms. It is categorized as either Bipolar I (BP-I) or Bipolar II (BP-II). This disorder has many variations. But in general, a person with bipolar disorder swings from depression to abnormal elation, or mania.

One bipolar symptom is hypomania. It is a mood state wherein the patient experiences relentless and pervading elation or irritability. This bipolar symptom is differentiated from mania by the absence of psychosis-related symptoms and the lower level of impact on functioning. Some mood disorders like bipolar II disorder and cyclothymia are characterized by hypomania. Cyclothymia is a condition of persistent mood fluctuations between hypomania and clinical depression of lower intensity than would be expected in bipolar disorder. and sometimes interspersed with periods of normal moods.

In the elated phase, this bipolar symptom renders the patients in their most productive and successful mood. It causes the affected persons to feel like they can’t slow their mind down. The patients tend to display above-average creativity and superior productiveness. Hypomanic episodes also cause patients to have exaggerated self-pride, become more talkative than usual and have a flood of ideas. This bipolar symptom is unlike acute forms of mania because the patient has full awareness of what they are doing. Possible benefits of this bipolar symptom include: being comfortable capable of logical thoughts and actions; being immune to fear and doubt and finding delight in simple activities.

The depressive phase in hypomania is associated with distress and disturbance and a relatively high risk of *******. The bipolar symptoms in this particular phase of the disorder include (but in no way are limited to): persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, guilt and anger. In this phase, the bipolar symptoms may also cause the patients to go into isolation, feel hopeless, lose interest in daily activities, have problems concentrating, experience sleep disturbances and fatigue, and lose or develop sudden increase in sexual activity. It is suggested that patients experiencing a hypomanic state may potentially profit from the mental stimulation in certain situations.

The mixed state is a combination of manic and depressive symptoms which occur at the same time. This bipolar symptom can be the most explosive because moods can easily be instigated or switched. During this state, patients may attempt suicide, resort to substance abuse or afflict injury on themselves.

Another bipolar symptom found in a significant fraction of people with bipolar disorder is rapid cycling. It is a condition wherein patients experience having four or more distinct periods of depression, hypomania, mixed states, or mania in a time period of one year. It has been associated with greater disability or a worse prognosis, due to the confusing changeability and difficulty in establishing a stable state.

In bipolar I disorder, a manic episode may occur before the onset of hypomanic symptoms. In bipolar II disorder, there may be an occurrence of at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode that does not progress into psychotic mania.



Grace

BlueAnt asked:


I think I may be bipolar… I’m always switching between depression and everything is ok moods. For example, sometimes I’m depressed and think oh my friend hates me and never wants to talk to me again, and sometimes I feel like he’ll come around sometime let him be and I’m happy thinking everything is going to be ok. Is this bipolar or moodswings or what?

Lisa

andrew g asked:


I have had bipolar disorder for five years and now I’m seeing that I don’t have the push to have *** with women. I did for the past few years but over the past year, my drive is down. I am currently 24 years old.

Ricky