What does bipolar means?
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What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder (also called manic-depressive disorder) is an illness that causes extreme mood changes that alternate between manic episodes of abnormally high energy and the extreme lows of depression.
Bipolar disorder may cause behavior so severe that you may not be able to function at work, in family or social situations, or in relationships with others. Some people with bipolar disorder become suicidal.
What causes bipolar disorder?
The cause of bipolar disorder is not completely understood, but the disorder runs in families and may also be affected by your living environment or family situation. An imbalance of chemicals in the brain is another possible cause.
What are the symptoms?
During a manic episode, you may be abnormally happy, energetic, or irritable for a week or more. You may spend a lot of money, get involved in dangerous activities, and sleep very little. After a manic episode, you may return to normal, but your mood may swing in the opposite direction to feelings of sadness, depression, and hopelessness. When you are depressed, you may have trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions; have changes in your eating and sleeping habits; and lose interest in things you once enjoyed.
The mood changes of bipolar disorder can be mild or extreme. They may develop gradually over several days or weeks, or come on suddenly within minutes or hours. The manic or depressive episodes may only last a few hours or for several months.
How is bipolar disorder diagnosed?
Because it has many phases and symptoms, bipolar disorder is complex and hard to diagnose. There are no lab tests for bipolar disorder; instead your doctor or therapist will ask detailed questions about what kind of symptoms you have and how long they last. In order to be diagnosed as bipolar, you must have had a manic episode lasting at least a week (less if you had to be hospitalized). During this time, you must have had three or more specific symptoms of mania, such as needing less sleep, being more talkative, behaving wildly or irresponsibly in activities that could have serious outcomes, or feeling as if your thoughts are racing.
Your urine and blood may be tested to rule out other problems that could be causing your symptoms.
How is it treated?
Bipolar disorder is mainly treated with medications to manage manic episodes and periods of depression. Your doctor may try several medications before finding the right combination to manage your symptoms long-term. Medications include mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. Antidepressants are used carefully for episodes of depression, because they cause some people to cycle into a manic phase.
Counseling for you and your and family is also an important treatment for bipolar disorder.
People with extreme cases of mania may be hospitalized to protect them from risky behaviors, such as driving recklessly or having delusions. During a severe bout of depression, hospitalization may be necessary to prevent the person from committing suicide.
Who is affected by bipolar disorder?
Over 3 million Americans—about 1% of the population—suffer from bipolar disorder, with similar rates existing in other countries. Bipolar disorder occurs equally among males and females. It often begins between the ages of 15 and 24.
Bipolar, also known as manic depression, is a disorder in which the sufferer cycles between periods of depression and mania (which is like ADHD)
The majority of people with Bipolar disorder DO NOT have constantly changing moods.
In fact, the mood episodes last weeks and months. You may be manic for 2 months and depressed for 6 months with normal moods in between.
Rapid cycling is rare, even then it usually means 4 episodes per year
NOT EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY!
episodes of depression and mania which means you act one way then later you are totally a diffrent person example happy/sad rich/broke hope this helps good luck buddy
Bipolar is an emotional disorder where a person goes from one extreme to the other, either so excited they can't contain themselves, or so depressed they can't get out of bed for days, weeks or months at a time. It's as if their emotions don't have any brakes on them, and they fly out of control in all directions, rather than staying somewhat stable in between, with normal ups and downs. It can be helped a lot by medication if it gets too serious. I had a long term girlfriend with this problem and it really tore out relationship apart - she's has gotten help since and is doing better, but I know she still fights with her moods some times. All the best.
That you mood changes pretty fast. Could be from sad to happy to angry. Without really having a good reason for the change. Just stop when you are getting angry and ask your self do you really need to be angry also on being sad. Some people get meds for this and others do not.
People who are bipolar and not treated tend to live on the extremes of the mood spectrum, all the way up or all the way down.
If that was a medical diagnosis and not just a "someone" saying it, please get it treated.
My brother believed in self-treatment, put a gun to your chest and pull the trigger. That took care of HIS part of the problem.
thats not very nice that they said u had a serious mental health issue that ppl actually suffer from, wen they arent a professional =/
basically means u have mood swings alot
hope this helps ♥
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