Major Signs of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a type of brain affliction characterized by intense and seemingly abrupt changes in mood, motivation, energy levels, sleep patterns and activity levels. Bipolar disorder usually begins as a person approaches age 20, although it is not uncommon for symptoms to appear at all stages of life. Bipolar disorder hinders a person's ability to stabilize and regulate his own moods and emotions. This causes intense episodes of major depression and also intense mania.

Major Depression Symptoms

• Major depression symptoms associated with bipolar disorder include a persistent sad, grim and defeated outlook on life; unjustified, intense feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness; taking much more time than usual to perform routine tasks; overall loss of energy; drastic changes in eating habits, appetite or body weight; irregular sleeping patterns--sleeping too little or too much; and lingering thoughts of suicide or death.

Mania Symptoms

• Mania does not always mean being in a good mood. Mania is just an extremely high amount of energy, which can cause a great deal of irritability for the manic depressive person and everyone around her. It is usually accompanied by some of the following symptoms: having too much confidence in her own abilities; not needing as much sleep; being unusually talkative; being easily distracted or having many racing thoughts; an unusual increase in motivation and planning; increased participation in various activities or projects; amd performing unusually dangerous or thrill-seeking activities.

Misconceptions

• The largest misconception about bipolar disorder is that the illness is not real and is simply an excuse for people to be selfish and rude, much like a spoiled child who didn't get his way. This is false. PET scans of the brain taken during periods of both mania and depression show that a person's brain consumes much more glucose during manic states, while depressed states show the brain consuming an abnormally low amount of glucose. This shows that a bipolar person's brain physically works faster and harder during times of mania, and then slows down and doesn't work as hard during times of depression.

Treatment

• Bipolar disorder usually involves some form of long-term treatment. There are many medications available, such as mood stabilizers, antidepressants, anti-seizure medications and other anti-psychotic medications. But medication by itself usually doesn't completely control the disorder. Psychotherapy is also a common treatment for bipolar disorder. This includes things such as cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy and family therapy. It usually takes a mixture of medication and psychotherapy, in addition to important changes in lifestyle and a group of supportive friends and family, for a person to successfully control her bipolar disorder.

  There's also something called ECT therapy in which electrical currents are passed through the bipolar person's brain. These currents cause the brain to go into a seizure. This can be fairly unpredictable but the theory is that the seizure changes the patient's brain chemistry, which may contribute to fixing the bipolar disorder.

Getting Help

• The first step to treating bipolar disorder is to see a psychiatrist. If for some reason you cannot see a psychiatrist you can also check with a psychologist. But only a psychiatrist can prescribe medicine, so if you feel you need medication it's vital that you find a good psychiatrist. Your family doctor may be able to help, as well, but often requires a diagnosis from a psychiatrist before prescribing medication. There are also programs offering help in your community. Check with local hospitals, universities and medical schools for a program that can help you.