Bipolar disorder is expressed in a change of phases opposite in their manifestations: depressive and manic. Between episodes, a person is in a state of normal (intermission).
depressive episode
Depression in bipolar disorder is manifested by low mood, increased fatigue, and a decrease in interest in what used to be enjoyable. At the same time, self-esteem decreases, thoughts about one's own worthlessness appear, feelings of guilt, and sometimes a desire to die, appetite and sleep are disturbed. To make a diagnosis, this condition must last at least two weeks in a row.manic episode
Mania- this is a period of increased activity, energy, sociability, optimism, which are not normal for this person. Mood and self-esteem are elevated at this time. At the same time, the need for sleep decreases and sexual desire increases. Manic attacks are characterized by ideas of greatness, their own superiority.Often found dysphoric mania- a condition in which the increase in activity is accompanied not by a good mood, but by increased irritability and aggressiveness.
Hypomania
Hypomania- a less pronounced form of mania. With her high mood, activity and sociability do not lead to significant disruption of normal life. When diagnosing, it is very important to notice cases of hypomania, because their presence distinguishes bipolar II disorder from depression. One manic or hypomanic episode lasts from four days to several months.mixed condition
A mixed state is manifested either by a rapid change (within a few hours) of depression and mania, or by the presence of signs of both mania and depression at the same time. For example, a gloomy, depressed mood is combined with high activity. Such states are similar to dysphoric mania. The mixed state is especially dangerous, during this period the risk of suicide is high.Psychotic symptoms
Bipolar disorder can be complicated by psychotic symptoms. These are severe disorders of higher nervous activity that cause distortions in thinking and perception in the patient. The two main symptoms of psychosis are delusions and hallucinations. Bipolar disorder is characterized by delusions of one's own greatness, inventions, hallucinations of religious content.Intermission- a state between two episodes, characterized by a complete restoration of mental activity, without signs of disturbance. During this period, a person with bipolar disorder is no different from a healthy person.
Remission- the disappearance of the most unfavorable symptoms of the disorder for an indefinitely long time, up to tens of years (?). In rare cases, remission occurs spontaneously. More often it is supported by proper treatment.
Bipolar affective disorder (BAD) is a mental illness that manifests itself in mixed states that have their own specifics. The topic is complex and multifaceted, so now we will talk about several of its aspects. Namely, about the types of the disorder, its symptoms, causes, and much more.
Characteristic
Bipolar affective disorder manifests itself in constantly alternating periods of depression and euphoria. The rapid change of symptoms cannot go unnoticed.
Often there are mixed states. They are also called phases. They periodically replace each other. They can manifest themselves in a combination of melancholy with anxiety and agitation, or in the simultaneous manifestation of lethargy and euphoria.
Mixed states go either in a row or through bright gaps, which are also called interphases, or intermissions. During such periods personal qualities a person and his psyche are completely restored. It should be noted that in whatever states BAD manifests itself, they always have a bright emotional coloring, and proceed rapidly and violently.
Causes and conditions of occurrence
For a long time, the etiology of bipolar affective disorder remains unclear. However, not the last role in the development process this disease plays heredity. The likelihood that a person will be susceptible to it increases if one of his immediate relatives suffered from bipolar disorder.
According to research, these disorders are associated with genes that are supposedly located on the 4th and 18th chromosomes. But besides heredity, autointoxication can also play a role, which manifests itself in a violation of water-electrolyte metabolism and endocrine balance.
Scientists who have studied and then compared the brains of ordinary people and those with bipolar disorder have come to the conclusion that their neural activity and brain structures differ, and significantly.
Of course, there are predisposing factors. They can cause bipolar affective disorder, but only if repeated regularly. We are talking about constant stress that a person is exposed to over a long period of time.
In practice, there are cases when this disease developed as a side effect of taking certain medications prescribed to people for the treatment of other ailments. BAD often occurs in those who suffer from alcohol or drug addiction. Moreover, the disease can develop both in active addicts and in long-term addicts.
Unipolar BAR flow
It should be noted that there are types of bipolar affective disorder. And to be more precise, the varieties of the course of this disease. The unipolar type includes two states:
- Periodic mania. It manifests itself in the alternation of only manic phases.
- Periodic depression. It manifests itself in the alternation of only depressive phases.
Briefly, it is worth talking about each of them. Since each phase is directly related to bipolar affective disorder. In psychiatry, moreover, they are considered in great detail.
Periodic mania
It is considered by some experts as a type of manic-depressive psychosis, but this provision is not officially approved in the ICD-10 classification.
Manic headlights appear in a painfully elevated mood, motor excitement and an accelerated flow of thoughts.
There is also affect, which is characterized by excellent health, contentment and a sense of happiness. Pleasant memories arise, perceptions and sensations are sharpened, logical memory is weakened and mechanical memory is strengthened.
In general, the manic stage is accompanied by manifestations that are sometimes difficult to call negative. These include:
- Spontaneous recovery from somatic diseases.
- The emergence of optimistic plans.
- Perception of the surrounding reality in rich colors.
- Exacerbation of olfactory and taste sensations.
- Strengthening memory.
- Liveliness, expressiveness of speech.
- Improving intelligence, sense of humor.
- Expanding the circle of acquaintances, hobbies, interests.
- Increasing motor activity.
But also a person makes unproductive and easy conclusions, overestimates his own personality. Often there are delusional ideas of greatness. Higher feelings are weakened, there is a disinhibition of drives. Attention switches easily, instability is manifested in everything. He willingly takes on new things, but does not complete what he started.
And at one point comes the critical phase. The person becomes extremely agitated, even viciously aggressive. He ceases to cope with everyday and professional duties, loses the ability to correct his behavior.
depressive phase
It is characterized by a painfully lowered mood (lasting more than 2 weeks), loss of the ability to experience positive emotions, the appearance of oppressive sensations (for example, heaviness in the soul).
It also becomes difficult for a person to select words and form phrases, he makes long pauses before answering, he thinks hard. Speech becomes poor and monosyllabic.
Motor retardation may also appear - clumsiness, dullness, sluggish gait, depressive stupor. Even outwardly depressive phase manifests itself. Usually in mournful facial expressions, withering of facial tissues and impaired tone.
In addition to those listed, the symptoms of bipolar affective disorder manifested in the depressive phase include the following:
- Depressive thoughts.
- Depreciation of self-importance, unreasonably low self-esteem. Such phrases are often heard: “My life does not make sense”, “I am a nonentity”, etc. It is unrealistic to convince a person in this case.
- Feeling hopeless and hopeless.
- Thoughts of violent suicide.
- Self-flagellation. Comes to the point of absurdity. A person can seriously reason this way: “If in the third grade I shared a sandwich with Misha when he asked, then he would not be disappointed in people and would not get addicted to drugs.”
- Insomnia or very little restless sleep(up to 4 hours) with early awakenings.
- Appetite disorders.
The depressive phase in bipolar affective disorder, the symptoms of which have now been briefly listed, can also be accompanied by physical ailments - constipation, increased heart rate, dilated pupils, jumps blood pressure pain in muscles, joints and heart.
Other varieties
The next type of bipolar affective disorder is the right-intermittent course. It is characterized by a change from a manic phase to a depressive one and vice versa. There are notorious bright gaps (intermissions).
There is also an irregularly intermittent flow. IN this case there is no defined phase sequence. Depressive, for example, may again be followed by depressive. And vice versa.
Practice is also familiar with cases of a double form of bipolar affective disorder (manic-depressive psychosis). It is characterized by a direct change of two notorious phases, followed by an intermission.
The last type of flow is called circular. It is characterized by the correct phase sequence, but the absence of intermission. That is, there are no bright gaps at all.
Bipolar II Disorder
It is worth saying a little about him. Everything that was said above concerned bipolar disorder of the first type. To the second, of course, this information is also directly related. However, bipolar affective disorder type 2 is something else. This is the name of the form of bipolar disorder, which is characterized by the absence of mixed and manic episodes in the anamnesis of a person. In other words, there are only depressive and hypomanic phases.
It is BAD type II that is most often diagnosed as depression. This is because the notorious hypomanic manifestations usually escape the attention of a specialist. Needless to say, even the patient may not notice them.
To identify BAD type II, the physician must pay special attention to the consideration of hypomania. Its most striking manifestations are insomnia, anxiety, as well as excellent mood, regularly replaced by irritability. It usually lasts at least 4 days.
Patients notice that the emotions they experience during such periods are radically different from those that arise during periods of depression. They are also characterized by increased talkativeness, an exorbitant sense of self-importance, a flight of thoughts and irresponsible behavior.
Many suffer from hypomania from irritability and restlessness. Doctors emphasize this and diagnose anxiety disorder with depression. The result is an incorrectly prescribed treatment, due to which the patient's condition becomes manic. Often side effect there is a sharp and dynamic cyclical mood.
As a result, everything ends with a strong emotional disorder. This is dangerous, as a person may begin to take actions that are dangerous both for him and for others. If this phase goes into a deep manic state, then hospitalization will be required. Indeed, in such a state, a person can cause irreparable harm to himself and others.
In other, more rare cases, people with hypomania feel happy and capable of feats. But this only complicates the diagnosis. If a person uses antidepressants, then this condition can be mistakenly perceived as the body's response to treatment. But in reality, it will only be the calm before the storm.
Bipolar affective disorder in children and adolescents
Previously, it was believed that the earliest manifestation of BAD occurs in adolescence. However, now cases of fixation of this disease in children from 7 years old are becoming frequent. Why does it appear in such young children? The reasons are unknown, but experts refer to genetics. But the factors provoking BAD in babies are highlighted. These include:
- Impaired thyroid function.
- Poor or insufficient sleep.
- Strong shock.
In the case of today's teenagers, drug or alcohol abuse is added to this list. Unfortunately, in our time, it is not uncommon for many teenagers (who, as you know, have an already fragile psyche) to be addicted to substances prohibited for them.
How do you know if a child has Bipolar Affective Disorder? First, he enters a depressive phase. Often, parents do not pay attention to her manifestations, attributing everything to a transitional age. They do not attach importance to the fact that their child became withdrawn and sad, began to regularly throw tantrums, react sharply to any comments, and seemed to have lost interest in life.
Yes, it looks like a transitional age, but the following factors are also added to the above, the manifestation of which children usually complain about:
- Headache.
- Chronic fatigue.
- Muscle pain.
- Excessive sleepiness or insomnia.
Usually depression is diagnosed at this stage. But then it is replaced by a manic stage. Phases alternate, there is a lull. Then - again a series of depressive states.
The manic phase in children is much less common and differs from its manifestation in adults. Its offensive is provoked by a trigger - a strong shock. It is more acute than in adults. The child becomes very irritable, and the good mood is replaced by outbursts of anger. Adolescents still often demonstrate sexual activity and aggression. Their self-esteem rises and the need for sleep is significantly reduced.
So the combination of several of these factors should be a wake-up call for both the teenager himself and his parents.
Diagnostics
It is important to talk about how bipolar affective disorder is defined. The diagnosis is not easy to establish. Because the category of bipolarity is characterized by polymorphism.
talking plain language, is a disease characterized by a wide variety of disorders that are similar to manifestations of other mental illnesses. It can be confused with psychosis, deep depression, emotional upheaval, even with a form of schizophrenia.
In addition, specialists use different diagnostic approaches. According to statistics, more than 70% of people who suffer from bipolar affective disorder receive an incorrect, erroneous diagnosis.
And this is very bad, because this is followed by unreasonable drug prescriptions. A person begins to take unnecessary drugs, which aggravates the course of bipolar disorder. As a result, the correct diagnosis is established on average 10 years after the onset of the disease.
There are several key points that the doctor must pay attention to when talking with the patient. These include:
- Frequent depressive episodes, which are characterized by early manifestation (manifestation of typical symptoms after an erased or latent course). Also, antidepressants do not work on a person.
- The presence of depression, addiction to illegal substances or alcohol, impulsivity, comorbid conditions (simultaneous presence of several diseases in a person).
- The early development of psychosis that occurs despite a developed sociality.
- Family history, the presence of diseases of dependence and affective disorders in the next of kin.
- Having an idiosyncratic reaction or induced mania to antidepressants, if the person is taking them.
In addition, comorbidity is also taken into account - the presence of several chronic diseases at once, which are connected by some kind of pathogenetic mechanism. In general, the diagnosis of bipolar affective personality disorder presents many difficulties. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to identify the disease through the study of human tests.
Therapy
Now it is worth talking about the treatment of bipolar affective disorder. The therapy is divided into three next steps:
- Active. The emphasis is on the treatment of acute conditions. Therapy begins from the moment the condition is detected and lasts until the clinical response. As a rule, it takes from 6 to 12 weeks.
- Stabilizing. Treatment is aimed at stopping the main symptoms. Starts from the moment of clinical response to spontaneous remission occurring outside of treatment. Stabilization therapy should prevent exacerbation of bipolar affective disorder. Treatment lasts from 4 months for manic episodes and from 6 for depressive episodes.
- Prophylactic. It is needed in order to weaken or completely prevent the onset of the next phase. If we are talking about the first affective episode, then preventive treatment lasts 1 year. With repeated - from 5 and above.
Basically, therapy is aimed at eliminating mania and depression. However, comorbidity, mixed states, suicidal behavior, and affective instability also occur. They affect the outcome of the disorder and should be taken into account in therapeutic interventions.
Mood stabilizers (sodium valproate and lithium), antidepressants, and atypical antipsychotics are most commonly prescribed after the diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder. Everything is sold by prescription. According to statistics, the body reacts most actively to sodium valproate. In comparison with it, "Carbamazepine", "Aripiprazole", "Quetiapine", "Haloperidol" give a weak effect.
Disability
Is it given for a diagnosed bipolar affective disorder? Disability is a complete or partial loss of ability to work due to mental, sensory, mental or physical disabilities. As already clarified earlier, BAR belongs to the first of those listed. So they can apply for disability.
However, the disease must be diagnosed. A person will need to describe in detail everything that happens to him: is there dystonia and temperature, are there problems with sleep, what accompanies all the notorious phases, are voices sometimes heard, is there weakness, fear, a distorted perception of reality, etc.
You also need to be prepared for the need to go to the clinic. There are severe cases, accompanied by manifestations of schizophrenia or especially serious symptoms - some manage to make suicide attempts, engage in self-harm, etc. In such cases, they give a second disability group, in which a person is considered non-working. But serious long-term treatment in the clinic under the supervision of specialists is also prescribed.
Mental affective features of people have always attracted attention. Unlike the others, they call themselves "bipolar bears". What is bipolar disorder - an emotional swing from euphoria to the feeling of falling into the abyss of gray, viscous thoughts that exhaust the mind and soul, a feeling of emptiness and hopelessness.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
All people are periodically observed, but they do not have such a degree of intensity and intensity of emotions that are characteristic of those suffering from bipolar disorder. Affective states - frequent mood swings can deplete nervous system and drive a person to suicide. Bipolar disorder is a severe mental disorder, previously called manic-depressive psychosis in psychiatry. In the classic version, these are two alternating phases: manic and depressive, each can last even several years.
Bipolar Disorder - Causes
In childhood, it is difficult to make a diagnosis, however, the disease is diagnosed in 2% of children and adolescents. The highest frequency of primary detection of the disease (50%) falls on the age of 21-45 years. Bipolar mental disorder is an endogenous disease, the causes of which are not fully disclosed and lie in many factors:
- genetic predisposition (80%). Finding these specific transmissible genes is extremely difficult, as it is often an individual combination of genes combined with other predisposing factors;
- disorders in the brain: an imbalance in the production of neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine);
- hormonal imbalance;
- influence of environmental factors (20%): frequent exposure to stress, heart attacks and strokes, abuse of psychoactive, psychotropic substances (alcohol, drugs, medications);
- older parents may have children with a predisposition to bipolar disorder;
- unknown etiology of the disease. Bipolar disorder is what it is as a disease, scientists have new discoveries in order to find a more effective treatment.
Is Bipolar Disease Hereditary?
Statistics say that people with bipolar disorder, when examining a family history by a doctor, in 50% of cases have close relatives who were previously diagnosed. When studying twins, it has been confirmed that if one has bipolar disorder, the second probable manifestation of the disease increases to 70%. Hereditary disorders of the sleep-wake cycle, attention deficit disorder, other affective disorders and mental characteristics can also become a provoking factor in the development of endogenous depression in offspring.
Bipolar Disorder - Symptoms
The most common manifestations are suddenly alternating phases of mania and depression throughout life. The duration of "light periods" between phases is individual, it can last up to several years. Mania is a pronounced phase of the state of euphoria, an excited state and increased optimism. It usually ends with the return of a person to a normal state with some lethargy. Periods of depression may last longer than mania and occur more frequently and are severe. Signs of bipolar disorder in the manic phase:
- euphoria, high spirits, emotions go wild, a huge love for people and the world wakes up, megalomania;
- scattered attention, difficulty concentrating;
- fast speech, in a conversation a chaotic jump from one topic to another, further incoherence of speech;
- a sense of their own invulnerability, involve themselves in various dangerous situations (drugs, walking on ledges);
- sleep disorders;
- increase in mental arousal, aggressiveness;
- increased sexual activity.
Depressive phase symptoms:
- prolonged state of sadness, melancholy, increasing anxiety;
- deterioration or increase in appetite;
- constant fatigue, decreased vitality, lethargy;
- loss of interest in activities that used to bring pleasure;
- insomnia;
- gloomy thoughts about their own insignificance;
- “hovering” with a glance at one point, loss of a sense of time; thoughts of death, suicide attempts.
Bipolar Disorder - Types
Based on the predominant symptoms in the picture of the disease, 2 main types are distinguished. Type I Bipolar Personality Disorder is classic and involves at least one manic episode alternating with a depressive episode. More often it occurs in men. Bipolar affective disorder type II is a depressive episode (single or more) followed by hypomania. Statistically, women are more susceptible. Cyclothymia - hypomania and mild depression, is milder than types I and II.
Phases of Bipolar Disorder
The phase change in bipolar disorder is very variable, the disease less and less often proceeds according to the classical scheme. In manic-depressive syndrome, the episode begins with a phase of mania and lasts from 2 weeks to 4 months. A depressive episode can last up to eight months. Remission between phases decreases over time. Psychiatrists describe other phases of the course of the disease:
- monophasic (periodic mania/periodic depression);
- circulatory form - the phase of the "light" gap is absent;
- double form - after two cycles, intermission is established.
Bipolar Disorder - Consequences
With a aggravated course of the disease, all spheres of human life undergo negative changes. Families and friendships are being destroyed. Life with bipolar disorder constantly makes adjustments to the plans and activities of the patient, his relatives, and loved ones. During the manic phase, a person is capable of rash, risky actions that he is not able to control. Begins to overspend, engage in promiscuity, quit his job. In the depressive phase, working capacity decreases, a high risk of true suicide.
What is life like for a person with bipolar disorder?
The very first step is to accept yourself in this disease. Bipolar disorder what it really is for a person, only he himself knows. You can't do without adequate medical help, but the desire to improve your life and the support of loved ones are important in smoothing out symptoms and increasing "light" periods. Correct Mode"sleep - wakefulness", rejection of addictions, healthy eating and doing your favorite sport in a gentle mode - help to keep the right mindset. Reading people's stories, communicating with those who have taken control of their disease - motivate for success.
How to treat bipolar disorder?
The disease is amenable to medical correction, sometimes a complete cure. What is bipolar disorder and how is it treated? The psychiatrist carefully collects the patient's history, finds out his family history, and conducts tests. Confirmation of the diagnosis is accompanied by the selection of drugs depending on the phase and severity of its course, individual intolerance.
Bipolar mental disorder treated with a wide range of medications. In the depressive phase, antidepressants are used. In manic - antipsychotics, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants. To enable inversion to develop (the patient slipping into the opposite state), mood stabilizers (normotimics), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are prescribed in any phase.
Bipolar disorder - who to work with?
Social fulfillment and success make people feel important. Bipolar affective personality disorder involves some restrictions in the choice of work activity. This does not mean that a person is not able to become a highly qualified specialist in any profession he chooses. Hard work with frequent business trips, at night is contraindicated.
Bipolar Disorder and Creativity
Creative professions involve non-standard and original thinking, a different view of the world. Research mental illness scientists confirmed the associative relationship between creativity and certain deviations in the psyche. Bipolar disorder in artists, actors, musicians, writers of the last century was diagnosed by their letters, autobiographies, memoirs of loved ones described in books.
Celebrities with Bipolar Disorder
There is an opinion that the manic phase of mild bipolar disorder (hypomania) is a stimulus for creativity. IN modern world, the disease is quite common among creative individuals. bipolar disorder in famous people:
This disorder was brought to the fore a few years ago when bipolar disorder was diagnosed. Catherine Zeta Jones on living with bipolar disorder from Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Millions of people suffer from this, and I'm just one of them. I say this out loud so that people know that there is no shame in seeking professional help in such a situation.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, actress
Largely thanks to the courage of the black-haired Hollywood diva, other celebrities began to admit that they were experiencing this psychosis: Mariah Carey Mariah Carey: My Battle with Bipolar Disorder, Mel Gibson, Ted Turner ... Doctors suggest Celebrities With Bipolar Disorder bipolar disorder and already deceased famous people: Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Vivien Leigh, Marilyn Monroe ...
The enumeration of familiar names is only necessary to show that psychosis is very close to you. And maybe even you.
What is bipolar disorder
At first glance, it's okay. Just mood swings. For example, in the morning you want to sing and dance for joy that you live. In the middle of the day, you suddenly snap at colleagues who distract you from something important. By evening, a severe depression rolls over you, when you can’t even raise your hand ... Familiar?
The line between mood swings and manic-depressive psychosis (this is the second name of this disease) is thin. But she is.
The attitude of those who suffer from bipolar disorder constantly jumps between the two poles. From an extreme maximum (“What a thrill it is to just live and do something!”) to an equally extreme minimum (“Everything is bad, we will all die. So, maybe there is nothing to wait, it's time to lay hands on yourself ?!”). The highs are called periods of mania. Minimums - periods.
A person realizes how stormy he is and how often these storms have no reason, but he cannot do anything with himself.
Manic-depressive psychosis is exhausting, worsens relationships with others, dramatically reduces the quality of life and, as a result, can lead to suicide.
Where Does Bipolar Disorder Come From?
Mood swings are familiar to many and are not considered something out of the ordinary. Therefore, bipolar disorder is quite difficult to diagnose. However, scientists are getting better at it. In 2005, for example, it was established Prevalence, Severity, and Comorbidity of Twelve-month DSM-IV Disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) that about 5 million Americans suffer from manic-depressive psychosis in one form or another.
Bipolar disorder is more common in women than in men. Why is not known.
However, despite a large statistical sample, the exact causes of bipolar disorder have not yet been clarified. It is only known that:
- Manic-depressive psychosis can occur at any age. Although it appears most often in late adolescence and early adulthood.
- It may be caused by genetics. If one of your ancestors had this disease, there is a risk that it will knock on your door too.
- Disorder associated with imbalance chemical substances in the brain. Mainly - .
- The trigger is sometimes severe stress or trauma.
How to Recognize the Early Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
To fix unhealthy mood swings, you first need to find out if you are experiencing emotional extremes - mania and depression.
7 key signs of mania
- You experience high spirits and a feeling of happiness for long (several hours or more) periods.
- You have a reduced need for sleep.
- Your speech is fast. And so much so that those around you do not always understand, and you do not have time to formulate your thoughts. As a result, it is easier for you to communicate in instant messengers or through emails than to talk to people live.
- You are an impulsive person: first you act, then you think.
- You easily jump from one thing to another. As a result, productivity often suffers.
- You are confident in your abilities. It seems to you that you are faster and smarter than most of those around you.
- Often you exhibit risky behavior. For example, agreeing to have sex with a stranger, buying something that you can't afford, participating in spontaneous street races at traffic lights.
7 key signs of depression
- You often experience prolonged (from several hours or more) periods of unmotivated sadness and hopelessness.
- Lock yourself in. It's hard for you to come out of your own shell. Therefore, you limit contacts even with family and friends.
- You have lost interest in those things that used to really cling to you, and have not gained anything new in return.
- Your appetite has changed: it has dropped sharply or, on the contrary, you no longer control how much and what exactly you eat.
- You regularly feel tired and lack energy. And such periods go on for quite a long time.
- You have problems with memory, concentration and decision making.
- Do you sometimes think about . Catch yourself thinking that life has lost its taste for you.
Manic-depressive psychosis is when you recognize yourself in almost all of the situations described above. At some point in your life, you clearly show signs of mania, and at other times, symptoms of depression.
However, sometimes it also happens that the symptoms of mania and depression manifest themselves at the same time and you cannot understand what phase you are in. This condition is called mixed mood and is also one of the signs of bipolar disorder.
What is bipolar disorder
Depending on which episodes occur more often (manic or depressive) and how pronounced they are, bipolar disorder is divided into several types. Types of Bipolar Disorder.
- Disorder of the first type. It is heavy, alternating periods of mania and depression are strong and deep.
- Disorder of the second type. Mania does not manifest itself too brightly, but it covers with depression just as globally as in the case of the first type. By the way, Catherine Zeta-Jones was diagnosed with it. In the case of the actress, the trigger for the development of the disease was throat cancer, which her husband, Michael Douglas, fought for a long time.
Regardless of what type of manic-depressive psychosis we are talking about, the disease in any case requires treatment. And preferably faster.
What to do if you suspect you have bipolar disorder
Don't ignore your feelings. If you are familiar with 10 or more of the above signs, this is already a reason to consult a doctor. Especially if from time to time you catch yourself in suicidal moods.
First, go to a therapist. Medic will offer Diagnosis Guide for Bipolar Disorder you do some research, including a urine test, as well as a blood test for thyroid hormone levels. Often, hormonal problems (in particular, developing, hypo- and hyperthyroidism) are similar to bipolar disorder. It is important to exclude them. Or treat if found.
The next step will be a visit to a psychologist or psychiatrist. You will have to answer questions about your lifestyle, mood swings, relationships with others, childhood memories, trauma, and family history of illness and drug incidents.
Based on the information received, the specialist will prescribe treatment. It can be both, and medication.
Let's finish with the phrase of the same Catherine Zeta-Jones: “There is no need to endure. Bipolar disorder can be controlled. And it's not as difficult as it seems."