Bipolar disorder
Description
Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness that causes unusual extreme mood shifts between mania and depression. These unusual shifts affect the person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and ability to do daily activities and tasks. There’re four types of bipolar disorder that differ in the severity and duration of manic and depressive episodes. Bipolar disorder affects >1% of people around the world and increases the risk of suicide by 20 times compared to normal healthy people. Its prevalence is equal in both men and women.
Symptoms
The affected person doesn’t have the symptoms all the time but just recurrent episodes of mania and depression. Some patients may have the symptoms of mania and depression at the same time (ex : being sad but hyperactive).
Mania symptoms :
- Feeling very happy
- Talking quickly
- Hyperactivity
- Increased self-esteem
- Easy distraction and jumping from one topic to another
- Being easily irritated, and agitated
- Racing thoughts
- Decreased need to sleep
Depression symptoms :
- Feeling sad, empty, and hopeless most of the time
- Lack of energy
- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty in sleeping
- A feeling of guilt or worthlessness
- Delusions or hallucinations
- Change in weight (loss or gain of 5% of body weight in one month)
- Suicidal thoughts
The patient may have more depressive episodes than mania episodes or vice versa. Between episodes of depression and mania, the patient may be normal. Manic episodes may be less severe and this is known as “Hypomania”.
Visit a Psychiatrist to be diagnosed and treated properly, If you or one of your family have any of these symptoms
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View MoreCauses
The exact cause of bipolar disorder development is unknown, but several factors are involved in this such as :
- Genetics (It’s thought that it’s an inherited disorder and the risk increases if one of the first-degree relatives has bipolar disorder).
- Brain changes (Physical changes in the brain or the neurotransmitters).
- Environmental factors (Illegal drug use, Trauma, stressful events such as the loss of a beloved one).
Diagnostics
Bipolar disorder is usually diagnosed in late adolescence or young adulthood. Diagnostic tools include :
- Physical examination and laboratory tests : To exclude any other condition causing these symptoms.
- Psychiatrist assessment: The Psychiatrist assesses the mental state of the patient by talking about the symptoms and using specific criteria to diagnose the patient.
- Mood charting: A daily record of the mood and sleep pattern to help in diagnosis.
Treatment
Bipolar disorder requires life-long treatment even if the symptoms disappeared as it’s highly recurrent.
Medications :
Medications can be used as a single agent or in combination according to the case.
· Mood stabilizers (ex : Lithium carbonate, Carbamazepine, Valproic acid, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Risperidone).
· Antidepressants (ex : Olanzapine & Fluoxetine, Citalopram, Escitalopram, Paroxetine).
Cognitive behavioral therapy : A type of psychotherapy that teaches the patients how to deal with negative thoughts.
Electroconvulsive therapy : A procedure in which mild electric current is passed through the brain. It’s used in severe and recurrent cases and during pregnancy when other medications can not be used.
