Li Ming Wong asked:


Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, is a mental illness which causes mood swings and mood cycling. Mood cycling refers to the transition between mania and depression. Mania, or manic episodes, typically consist of feelings of elation and invincibility, and cause disorientation, lack of sleep, and obsessive behaviors. Depression typically consists of feelings of overwhelming sadness and low self worth.

There are many treatments available for bipolar disorder, ranging from medications to therapy. There are too many medications to be discussed here in depth. There are also many forms therapy can take, and techniques that can be learned to assist the patient in gaining some control over their bipolar disorder.

Typically, bipolar disorder is treated with more than one medication. This is due to the dual nature of bipolar disorder. Most patients need at least two medications: one to control depression and one to control mania. The combination of these two types of medication works to obtain balance in moods and stop mood cycling. Often, a third medication, called a mood stabilizer, is also prescribed. The most common mood stabilizer is Topomax.

Popular medications for treatment of mania in bipolar patients include lithium, valproate (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol), olanzapine (Zyprexa), and ziprasidone (Geodon). Lithium has long been considered the miracle drug of bipolar disorder. It is a sodium based medication that helps to balance the chemical imbalance in the brain that causes manic episodes in bipolar patients.

Valproate, or Depakote, was originally developed as a seizure medication. However, its effects on bipolar patients who have rapid cycling bipolar (moods that cycle every few hours or days rather than weeks or months), it has been quite effective. Carbamazepine, or Tegretol, is another anti-seizure medication. While it appears to have similar effects on bipolar disorder as Depakote, it has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a bipolar disorder treatment.

Olanzapine, or Zyprexa, and Ziprasidone, or Geodon, are both anti-psychotic drugs, and are particularly effective for treatment of bipolar disorder in which mania becomes so severe that psychotic symptoms are present.

Medications for treatment of depression are called anti-depressants. Common anti-depressants include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). All of these medications have been proven to be successful treatments for depression, although Celexa and Prozac are the most commonly prescribed.

Typically, treatment of bipolar disorder includes a combination of medications and therapy, or counseling. However, in some cases, medication may not be necessary for milder cases of bipolar disorder. In other cases, medication may not be desired by the patient, and the patient may wish to seek out other alternatives to medication for treatment of their bipolar disorder.

For these patients, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be quite effective. CBT is a method of bipolar disorder treatment that involves teaching the patient techniques to recognize triggers and symptoms of their mood cycling, and use that information and recognition to prevent the triggers from occurring, or the mood cycling from being quite as severe. Most of these techniques require the patient to develop cognitive thinking skills as well as critical thinking and problem solving capabilities. If the bipolar disorder is severe to the point that the patient is unable to engage in these thinking abilities and skills, CBT may not be a viable form of treatment in and of itself.

Overall, there are many treatments available for bipolar disorder. There are many options for the patient that can be discussed with the patient’s doctors. If a patient is not satisfied with the form their treatment is taking, they should discuss it with their doctor, and not be afraid to change doctors in order to change treatment methods. All in all, effective and successful treatment of bipolar disorder rests in the hands of the patient.



Carolyn

jennifer_m_crow asked:


My friend has bipolar disorder. I’m trying to convince him to move to Minnesota with me and he’s concerned about the harsh winters and how that would affect his moods. He already goes to psychotherapy and takes meds regularly. I know about sad lamps, and I’ve heard yoga helps too. Are there other things I can try to help ensure he’d have an easier time?

Melanie

Tim F Clark asked:


Bipolar Disorder is characterized by several mood disorders, the most notable of all being Bipolar Depression. Bipolar depression is marked by at least one “manic episode,” and is assumed to be a chronic condition due to the fact that most individuals who suffer from a manic episode almost certainly suffer more in the future.

Without preventative treatment, a person suffering from Bipolar Disorder may suffer a manic episode every two and a half years, as shown by statistics. He/she would present a unique mood cycle (one that usually combines manic episodes and periods of depression) that can be predicted once it is identified.

Studies have suggested that it occurs much more widely in families with a history of the Disorder. Bipolar Depression usually begins during a patient’s teenage years or early adulthood, and persists throughout the rest of his/her life. Bipolar Depression occurs in episodes and is often dismissed as something temporary, rather than as a serious psychological problem. Individuals with Bipolar Disorder may suffer from it for years without treatment as a result.

Mania and depression are known to be the two polar opposites of human emotion, thus giving rise to the term “Bipolar.” The term describes the severe mood swings between these two emotional poles. The Bi polar Disorder is also known as “Bi polar Affective Disorder,” “Bipolar Personality Disorder,” “Bipolar Mood Disorder,” “Manic Depression,” and “Manic Depressive Illness,” all of which refer to the same psychological problem. At any moment, slightly more than one out of every hundred Americans suffer from Bi polar Depression.

In a manic episode, a person may feel euphoric, excessively happy, and hyperactive. Some individuals may even display delusions of grandeur. When the manic phase passes into the “depressed phase,” the individual’s mood changes drastically. He/she may then experience deep sadness and despair, and may even harbor thoughts of *******. These unusually severe mood swings occur to individuals suffering from Bipolar Depression many times during their lives, although the frequency may vary greatly from person to person. Some may experience several of these episodes in a single year, while others may only experience one or two in a lifetime.

Not all episodes begin in the manic phase, however – an episode may begin in with the sufferer falling into a deep depressive phase, which eventually gives way to the manic phase. Most Bipolar Depression patients experience their first severe mood swing in their teenage years or early twenties – some have even been found to suffer their first episode before the age of ten. All in all, most patients experience their first attack of Bipolar Depression before the age of 50. Onsets of the problem during the 70’s and 80’s are rare, although they do happen.

No matter the individual’s age, Bipolar Depression affects both susceptible men and women in nearly equal numbers. Many sufferers – especially those unaware of their condition – may use drugs or alcohol during manic episodes in an attempt to treat themselves. This often results in the development of secondary substance abuse problems, which only serve to aggravate their condition.

On the other hand, some studies have found significant links between creativity and Bipolar Depression, albeit very unclear ones. One study indicated an increased drive towards achieving personal goals in individuals suffering from Bipolar Depression. While not always the case, individuals with suffering from it also tend to be more extroverted and outgoing than those without.

Bipolar Depression has also been found in a large number of individuals involved in the arts, and studies are currently being taken to discover why many creative geniuses have Bipolar Depression.



Anna

Lina Smith asked:


Recently there has been a lot of media attention in the press and on television about bipolar disease as more people are starting to be diagnosed with the illness. Many people also believe that bipolar disease is a new psychological illness that has only just been discovered in the past 5 – 10 years but this is incorrect. Previously bipolar disease was known as manic depression and many people may still call it this and that is where some of the confusion can stem from. There are also a lot of myths that surround the illness which people actually believe to be true. Here are some facts and myths about bipolar disease which should help people to understand a little more about it.

Facts

• Bipolar disease can affect anyone at any age, although it is not as common in children as it is in adults.

• People who are bipolar tend to have fluctuating moods which can swing between incredible highs and lows.

• Bipolar disease can be quite safely controlled with the correct medication and on some occasions, cognitive behavioural therapy.

• People who have bipolar disease have a higher chance of having children who will go on to be diagnosed with bipolar disease themselves – but this should not stop them from having children as it will not happen in every case.

• People diagnosed as being bipolar are perfectly able to have a job and function normally, particularly when they have the right medication and are able to stabilise their mood swings.

• Bipolar disease can have different types and levels of severity, not everyone who is bipolar will exhibit exactly the same symptoms as each other.

Myths

• People with bipolar disease are not mad – they have fluctuating moods which need to be stabilised with the correct medical help.

• Being diagnosed as being bipolar does not mean that a person is likely to commit ******* although depression is part of the symptoms.

• Bipolar disease can’t be caught from someone who has it.

• People who are bipolar do not have to be ‘sectioned’ in hospital during one of their highs or lows. This can happen but only in very severe cases when a person has not received the correct treatment or is refusing to take their medication.

• Taking drugs will not ‘give’ you bipolar disorder but it can play a part in the mood swings that people with bipolar have if they take stimulants like cocaine. In other words they do not help the situation if someone is bipolar.

Hopefully these facts will have given you a better indication of what having bipolar disease means to those who suffer from it and separated fact from myth. People with bipolar disease are not mad and dangerous; they are people who have unbalanced moods which need careful medical attention for them to stay on an even level. Without this they can have extreme highs and lows which can make daily life very difficult for them and this needs to be understood.



Dorothy

Lina Smith asked:


There has been a lot of controversy surrounding bipolar disorder and bipolar treatment that sufferers can expect to receive. One of the reasons for this is too many people feel equipped to talk about people who are bipolar without actually fully understanding the types of bipolar treatment that are available. In fact talk to most people and ask them to name a bipolar treatment and it is likely that they will reply with a one word answer such as “Prozac”. Whilst Prozac can and is used to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder this drug is just the tips of the iceberg when it comes to bipolar treatment as there is much more out there from medication to alternative therapies.

When someone is diagnosed as being bipolar it is easy to think that a simple pill each day will rid them of their symptoms and life will return to normal in a few days. Unfortunately this isn’t always the case and this is why it takes some time for some individuals to get the correct bipolar treatment which will work well for them.

As previously mentioned Prozac can work well as a form of bipolar treatment, it works by encouraging the production of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a natural chemical which when produced lifts the mood and this helps as a form of bipolar treatment as it can stabilise the mood of a sufferer. This type of medication (and others) is in the group of SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) which are often prescribed to combat the symptoms and feelings that bipolar disorder produces. Another group of medication that is also used as a bipolar treatment are tricyclic medications which work along the same lines as SSRIs. Lithium can also be used as a bipolar treatment as this too works as a mood stabiliser and this is one of the most well known and ‘popular’ treatments for bipolar disorder.

Cogitative behavioural therapy can be extremely useful as an additional bipolar treatment and many psychiatrists recommend it to people suffering from bipolar disorder. CBT works so well because it helps those with a bipolar diagnosis to recognise the ‘triggers’ that tend to signal the start of a bipolar high or low. Once these triggers are recognised a person who is bipolar is then able to put into practice some of the self help methods and techniques which have been shown to them in CBT sessions.

Some people also advocate a change in diet as a secondary bipolar treatment, as many believe that a healthy diet that is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can be beneficial for those with bipolar disorder. Complementary therapy’s such as yoga, meditation and acupuncture can also be used as these can play a large and important role in the emotional wellbeing of a person and can also help to lift the mood. Exercise can also help as a bipolar treatment as exercise releases endorphins, the body’s own ‘feel good’ chemicals and these can boost the mood significantly.



Scott

Shay asked:


Being Bipolar and consuming a good amount of alcohol each week while taking the medicine.
Not for me but about someone that is around their own kids and has a new stepchild.

Victoria

Li Ming Wong asked:


Bipolar disorders are not all alike. There are even specialized categories for the bipolar disorders which doctors use to distinguish one kind from another. This makes it easier for them to discuss the particular types of problems a patient might be having. A fairly benign and often overlooked member of the family of bipolar disorders is hypomania. It is overlooked for good reason. It is seldom a problem for the person who has it. It may even increase his chances for success by making him more outgoing, quick thinking, and optimistic. Treatment is rarely sought and seldom needed.

The most common disorder to be thought of as one of the bipolar disorders is bipolar I. This encompasses all those who suffer from alternating manic and depressed states. Those with bipolar I go from having the highest opinion of themselves to having little regard for their own well being. They go from periods of fast and outlandish activity to times of desperation and thoughts of death.

Of all the bipolar disorders, bipolar I is perhaps the most difficult to treat. Mood stabilizers such as lithium or anticonvulsants are useful. If depression, or especially mania, turns into psychosis, an antipsychotic medication is called for to bring the patient back to reality.

The difficulty comes in treating simple depression in bipolar I. An antidepressant would seem to be in order but, for the person who may become manic, it may be dangerous. It could start a cycle of rapid changes from depression to mania and back again in relatively short order. In the bipolar disorders this problem is most prevalent in bipolar I.

Dual diagnosis is another of the bipolar disorders. This is the combination of any bipolar disorder with alcohol and/or drug abuse. Most often, the abuse, in this case, of alcohol or drugs comes after the onset of one of the bipolar disorders.

These substances are used by the person with bipolar disorder to alleviate the symptoms of the illness. A stimulant may seem to help a person to overcome depression, and a depressant, such as alcohol may be thought to lessen the over activity of mania, for example. In reality, the abuse of drugs and/or alcohol only makes the episodes more severe in the end. This is not an answer for those with bipolar disorders.

Less obvious, but also considered one of the bipolar disorders, is MDD, or major depression. People with MDD spend most of the time that they are ill being depressed. They may have minor and short manic episodes, but the depression dominates. For these people, life is grim, unsatisfying, and perhaps seems unbearable. Episodes of depression for these people may last for months or sometimes years.

Treatment for these people is usually less complicated. They may respond well to antidepressants, talk therapy, and even to something as simple as exercise. There is less chance of triggering a manic episode, so treatment is less risky in these bipolar disorders.

There are many bipolar disorders. There are also many ways to treat these bipolar disorders. The trick is to match a disorder to the correct treatment and to encourage the patient to follow that treatment to the best of his or her ability. Having words to describe the different bipolar disorders makes it that much easier for the doctors and others to do their parts.



Lauren

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


In order to become successful in life, it is quite essential to be healthy and wise. While any sort of physical restrictions of the body can be fought with and dealt with, the central processing unit of our body that is our brain needs to be absolutely perfect in order to live a happy & successful life. For all our errands what we primarily need is a sharp brain so as to understand our environment and act promptly & make well evaluated decisions.

Along with a perfectly working brain, what we need is a control over our emotions. Being over excited or unduly angry all the time would not help us in any way. Quoting in the right terminology all our psychological factors must be balanced enough.

And what if you discover that you yourself have or some of you known to has a brain disorder? One such common brain disorder is bipolar disorder. This disease not only effects our emotions and decisions on daily errands, in extreme cases it can lead to suicides as well.

Here are some facts that you must know about this brain disorder:

1. As the name is withdrawn rightly, the disorder has two key phases – mania and depression. All the symptoms, ailments and effects of this disorder primarily belong to these two aspects.

2. This disorder is found equally among men and women.

3. Out of the world’s total population, around 1% suffers with the bipolar disorder.

4. Mania is found in two main divisions: hypo mania & full-blown mania.

5. Hypomania is a state where the individual possesses quite intense energy & is able to yield unusually high productivity. Ones who remain until this stage turn out to be great salesmen and high powered businessmen. Yet, the danger remains as many of the hypo-maniacs are just of the verge of being full blown maniacs.

6. The full-blown maniacs’ actions are rather devastating. Individuals suffering with bipolar disorder often become subject to the full-blown mania where they start making unnecessary moves in their business. Their actions yield far more losses than benefits, they themselves are never able to note this.

7. Patients of bipolar disorder almost never consider the results of their actions. They would spend money just like anything unconsciously. The money that they might have saved for some basic necessity for home or business, they might land up pending it in something just not required. They would sign the cheques irrespective of the fact that there is money in the account or not.

8. Such patients often become too generous and gift away their treasured items or things that they just can not afford to give away. Though, later they also regret their actions.

9. In an acute manic state the bipolar disorder can be characterized by overly gregariousness of the individual. They become extra ordinarily outgoing and do not realize whether their company is good or bad. This could be quite dangerous as getting in tough with some unwanted and unethical people can also land up in several irreversible problems such as sexual exploits, henceforth pregnancy, sexual diseases, or hampered relationships.

10. In extreme cases the disease suffering with bipolar disorder lands up in a phase of psychosis. This is the time when the patient has bizarre thoughts, like delusions and hallucinations. At this time the patient looses the senses of his/her immediate environment and is not able to make out the difference between realism & hallucinations. So he /she become so vulnerable that they can not even save themselves from natural calamities.

11. Often the mania cases land up to a phase of depression. Such individuals seclude themselves from their loved ones & acquaintances and many a times become bed-ridden for days together. Their sleep, appetite, energy level, etc. everything gets deeply effected.

12. One of the major dangers in bipolar disorder when the person goes in to depression is that they become suicidal. Hence, when the patient is in the phase of depression he/she must be guarded thoroughly.

13. Many adults & teenagers try to cope up with their bipolar disorder with other prolonged diseases like alcohol and drugs. Such cases are medically termed as – dual diagnosis. Such addictions complicate the patients’ condition and make thee treatment rather more difficult. However, with the changing scenario of our society this has almost become a common factor.

14. While individuals dealing with bipolar disorder have a lot many problems to handle, they can be optimistic due to the fact that several ways have been worked out for them to get cured and get a hold on themselves, like medications, therapies, routines, etc.

15. Well, in case you are now worried about some your relative or friend that they won’t be cured of the bipolar disorder, don’t be, because there have been several cases where such patients have been cured and now they are leading very happy and successful life.

16. However, you must understand that this disease can be controlled but not cured for life. First of all such patients and their families must understand that bipolar disorder is a long term disease that requires life long treatment. With medication & psychiatric therapy, these patients can lead a happy and controlled productive life for sure.

17. In case you suspect any of your family members or friends to have any mental disorder, you can help them by taking them to a psychiatrist as soon as possible. Wasting more time could lead to the disease becoming incurable.

18. Bipolar disorder often develops in the adolescence or early adulthood. In some cases, individuals also show early symptoms of this disorder during their childhood. While there are some who develop the bipolar disorder later in their life.

19. When the patient of bipolar disorder becomes suicidal, you should immediately take him/her to the doctor and go ahead with some urgent remedies.

20. Make sure that you do not leave any such stuff near the patient with which they can harm themselves like, the medications that they can take over doze of, or elements like knife, scissors, weapons, etc.

Many people shy away from accepting their mental illness. You must understand that having some mental illness does not mean that you are insane. Get rid of this misconception and do not feel scared in case you are detected to have bipolar disorder, neither it is something to be ashamed of.

Many a times people have this disorder they are never able to understand their ailment. With out the right professional attention, bipolar patients would be deprived of the right treatment and/or medication and their symptoms would henceforth grow more. Bipolar disorder is incurable; yet controllable and can be stabilized.

Bipolar disorder is quite less known among the general public. In fact, the surveys have proved that many people do not even want to think of the mood disorders. Among every 5 respondents, 80% didn’t even address bipolar disorder as an ailment. Most of the college students & people in the 40’s were aware of this disorder, but the other age groups have little or no knowledge about the bipolar & mood disorders.

The World Wide Web or the internet is rich source of knowledge to seek help. Try observing the symptoms you exhibit, and in case you think that might have this disorder, search the online quizzes. Many sites these days feature bipolar quizzes. You can use the search engines such as Google & Yahoo to help yourself.

Various online depression quizzes would help you find out the differences in symptoms associated with the bipolar disorder. Once you have tried some of the quizzes, you would get the result easily.

The bipolar online quizzes generally focus on the following questions:

- Do you suffer extreme changes in the mood?

- Does some of your family member have bipolar disorder?

- Do you experience the symptoms in some intervals?

While quizzes cannot give an absolutely clear picture of the ailment, mild mood fluctuations are a part of life that are just normal to have. Yet even after this self-evaluation, you believe that you are suffering with bipolar disorder, then consult a doctor, therapist, or psychiatrist before it gets too late.

You must understand that bipolar disorder become uncontrollable in case it is detected very late. It is always advisable to go for a professional diagnosis before you jump to any conclusions.



Steven

Dee asked:


My stepdaughter has been diagnosed with bipolar and by understanding it better, I hope to be more supportive.

Janet

Jane Mountain, MD asked:


Has someone told you that you have bipolar disorder or manic-depression? Have you been wondering what having bipolar disorder really means? This article will help you make sense out of what you or a loved one is experiencing.

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is neurobiologic. That is, bipolar disorder is a physical illness involving the brain. It is not a character flaw or laziness. If you have bipolar disorder you are not purposely being “moody.” Nor can you “just snap out of it.” A person who has diabetes cannot “snap out” of having diabetes; neither can you snap out of having bipolar disorder.

However, having bipolar disorder does not mean that you can’t take steps toward recovery from your illness. Many of you with bipolar disorder are struggling with accepting the fact that you have a real condition that prevents your brain from regulating mood properly. You may be reeling from the powerful effect this disorder has had on your life. But the more you learn about bipolar disorder, the more insight you can gain, and that will help you to better manage your illness.

Bipolar literally means two poles, implying that in bipolar disorder there are two basic “poles” or extremes of mood However, thinking of bipolar disorder in terms of two extremes of mood is misleading. It is more accurate to think of bipolar disorder as a wide range of moods.

Our goal in the rest of this article will be to answer these questions: What is mood? What is normal mood? What is depression? What are hypomania and mania? How can I meet the challenges of bipolar disorder?

What is mood ?

Mood is a very strong word. It comes from older words meaning mind, spirit, courage, and to strive strongly, be energetic. An even older word that mood comes from means custom or customary behavior. Thus mood means more than feeling happy or sad. Mood encompasses much of what we need to live. Mind, spirit, and courage, striving and energy, custom and behavior—all are related to mood and our sense of well-being. Thus having bipolar disorder affects us in many ways, presenting challenges as well as abilities such as enhanced creativity and sensitivity to the world around us. Many with bipolar disorder have influenced our lives and culture. These include Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Virginia Woolf, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Robert Schumann.

Bipolar disorder is about more than whether we feel happy or sad at a particular time. Bipolar disorder can be emotionally painful and have a major impact on our lives. At the same time it is a disorder that involves all aspects of mood. In addition to the challenges it presents, it also bestows gifts of seeing the world differently from others whose moods remain in a normal range.

As mentioned already, thinking of bipolar disorder as being two extremes of mood is misleading even though the term bipolar implies only two poles of mood—depression and mania. It is more accurate to think of bipolar disorder as involving a wide range of moods.

At its core is the brain’s inability to regulate mood. This inability to regulate mood within a normal range results in varying degrees of depression or mania. At times there may even be a mixed mood—a state that has elements of both depression and mania. In bipolar disorder your mood takes on a life of its own that is independent of what is happening in your life. Your mood thus becomes independent of your experiences. This “disconnecting” of mood and experience presents challenges in daily life. Sense of identity and self-confidence can be affected. Symptoms such as extreme irritability can affect relationships. Sadness and hopelessness can become overwhelming and even lead to *******. The sense of self can be lost by not knowing what to expect from your moods from day to day or even from hour to hour or minute to minute.

What is normal mood?

Beginning with normal mood is important because it is the hardest mood to understand for a person who is experiencing bipolar disorder. Most people take for granted that they feel happy or content most of the time. Happiness or contentment describes normal mood. Especially if you are experiencing bipolar depression, you may not realize that most people feel happy most of the time. Most people have a stable mood that doesn’t have wide swings. Instability of mood is the hallmark of bipolar disorder. Such instability makes it difficult to recognize normal mood. Just as it may be difficult for you to understand normal mood, those around you may have difficulty understanding depression, hypomania or mania. For instance many people with normal mood will say that they are “depressed” when they are having a bad day. This is better described as having a “blue mood,” which quickly passes.

The difference between depression and a blue mood is that the blue mood may vary a bit but it remains within a normal range. Blue mood does not stay at an extreme for very long, but lifts after a short time. Also the ability to enjoy pleasurable activities remains. For example, if someone with normal mood is having a low mood, that person may decide to go to a movie with some friends. This may be enjoyable and may even lift that person’s mood. Depression differs in that it is much more intense and lasts from weeks to months or even years. Going to a movie does not help the person who is depressed to “snap out” of depression. In our example, a depressed person may not be able even to enjoy the movie.

What is depression?

Depression is an intensely sad mood that lasts for at least two weeks. It may be characterized by irritability (usually an anxious irritability), and loss of enjoyment. Take the above example of going to the movies. If you are experiencing depression you may not be able to enjoy a movie or an outing with your friends. Sadness, irritability and loss of enjoyment are emotional features of depression.

Depression also has cognitive features. Cognitive means thinking. In other words, thinking may be affected by depression. Often concentration and focus are impaired. Concentration is being able to pay attention to what you are doing so that you can complete thoughts or tasks. Focusing is keeping on track without forgetting what you are doing or being easily distracted.

A second cognitive feature of depression is that of a sense of worthlessness. This may take many forms. Examples are a belief that you cannot do things right, a belief that you have no friends, or a belief that you are a failure in life. Notice here that I am using the word belief to describe this cognitive feature. That is because a sense of worthlessness may have nothing whatsoever to do with the reality of your accomplishments, the number of friends you have or your success in life. The cognitive feature of a sense of worthlessness has nothing to do with your actual self-worth but everything to do with the thinking that can accompany depression.

Hopelessness is another cognitive feature of depression, which causes you to see the world in an unrealistic way. The thinking process of hopelessness makes sense to you because your thinking process is not working normally. If you feel like harming yourself or others, you need to be in a safe place. That place may be with others who can monitor your behavior, but more likely hospitalization may be needed until the extreme hopelessness passes. When you are in the depths of hopelessness you need to ask for help. This may mean calling your psychiatrist, your therapist, or a trusted person who cares about you. An alternative is to call a ******* hotline (1.800.SUICIDE) or to dial 911. Keep in your purse or wallet a note that says, “I am feeling suicidal. I need help.” When you are not suicidal show it to a few trusted people and give them instructions about how to get help. You can use the note when you feel suicidal but can’t ask for help.

Our bodies are also affected by depression. You may sleep too much or too little, yet always feel tired. You may lose your normal appetite or have too great an appetite. You may have a headache, stomach ache or fatigue. Or you may find yourself crying without being able to stop.

What are hypomania and mania?

Hypomania is a word that confuses many people. Hypo means under and hypomania is a mood that is “under mania.” It is not as extreme as mania but lies somewhere between mania and normal mood. Hypomania is a bit harder to recognize and often remains hidden. Mania is more easily recognized.

Mania is an expansive mood just waiting to be seen by all. Because mania is often pleasurable, you may not want treatment for mania. Getting treatment may feel a bit like giving up a good friend. Unfortunately, the mania’s friendship brings serious challenges into your life that can make it less manageable. Lifelong treatment seeks to even out your moods so that you can be happier and accomplish your goals in life. Untreated mania will lead to instability and will greatly disrupt your life.

There are two kinds of bipolar disorder, Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Bipolar I is characterized by mania; bipolar II differs in that it is characterized by hypomania. Both include swings into depression, but depression tends to be the dominant mood in bipolar II. In order to diagnose bipolar disorder, hypomania or mania must be present at some time and depression must also be present at another time.articleIn the discussion that follows, mania will refer to both hypomania and mania.

We will continue by examining the emotional features of mania. Unstable mood is the hallmark of mania. Mania is an exercise of “catch as catch can” because your mood shifts rapidly. For example, you may have sudden bursts of energy contagious to everyone in the room. You may laugh loudly, tell jokes, and almost perform for those around you. But this mood is unstable and within a short time you may move on to a completely different experience of being unable to sit still. This restlessness might cause you to walk quickly out of the room to begin a different activity.

Another emotional feature of mania is that of irritability. The irritability of depression has an anxious quality. In mania the irritability is one of being easily frustrated. You may feel as though you could crawl out of your skin. The irritability of mania is often mistaken for anger. Anger differs in that it targets a specific focus, while irritability is without a particular focus. Anger’s target could be another person’s actions, a circumstance or perhaps a perceived failure of yourself or others. When you experience the irritability of mania you feel volatile and any little thing can set you off. You are easily frustrated. Mania’s irritability often causes difficulty in relationships, especially if others interpret your irritability as anger.

Mania also has cognitive or thinking features. One of these is grandiosity. With grandiose thinking, you may have ideas and plans so expansive and difficult that they are impossible to accomplish. In mania, however, you are convinced they are well within your capabilities. For example, you may believe you can climb Mount Everest even though you have never even seen a mountain before. Other cognitive features of mania include poor judgment, disorganization and lack of impulse control. When you experience these features of mania, you may have difficulties with relationships, find yourself overwhelmed by clutter, or go on spending sprees. These cognitive challenges can result in troubles at home, work or in your community.

One feature of mania affecting the body is that of increased energy in spite of decreased sleep. You can go for days to weeks with little sleep or even no sleep and yet have high energy. (Compare this to the extreme fatigue often associated with depression.) Mania’s high energy can result in rapid speech or racing thoughts. When you are having these features, you may not perceive them as “rapid” or “racing.” Instead it may seem that the rest of the world has slowed down. Your thoughts can seem intrusive, taking off on topics other than those you want to address. You can feel agitated and as though you cannot sit still or stop moving. However, when mania is less extreme, you may become more productive than normal and may accomplish tasks in a more efficient manner than other people who do not have bipolar disorder.

Psychotic features may also occur such as hearing things that are not present or seeing things that are not there. If these latter symptoms occur you need to call your doctor immediately or even call 911, especially if you feel that you are in danger to yourself or others. If things get this severe, others will often intervene because you may not be able to recognize that you need help.

How can I meet the challenge of bipolar disorder?

The core challenge in bipolar disorder is the brain’s inability to regulate mood. Understanding this is crucial in learning to manage your illness. When your brain is not keeping your mood within a normal range, you are challenged to seek treatment. Medications and psychotherapy, sometimes called talk therapy, can help you. It is important to realize that the goal of treatment is not to take away your personality and creativity. It is to help regulate your moods so that your personality and creativity shine through in a healthy, productive life. Because treatment works you will feel better and be able to accomplish your life goals.

You can also find help through education in your community and through bipolar recovery groups. Bipolar disorder is treatable and you will feel better and be better able to accomplish your life goals if you seek treatment. Support from others helps you learn how to manage the challenges of bipolar disorder.



Marvin