Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mental condition that causes emotional instability. As we become more and more aware of the importance of our mental health to our quality of life, we might have a few questions about the disorder and what it means. Knowing the symptoms, causes and treatments can help us assist ourselves, a friend or family who we suspect might have this mental disorder.
What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental condition that involves mood swings causing emotional highs and lows. Emotional highs could be mania or hypomania, during this period we might feel pumped up and excited, experience euphoria and can be irritable. The milder version is called hypomania, while the more severe cases are called mania. Emotional lows often come in form of depression, leading to loss of interest in things or activities. In extreme cases, we can have harmful thoughts and might be suicidal https://www.nimh.nih.gov/. These mood swings might occur very often or seldomly, depending on the severity of the disorder.
What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is characterized by a lot of emotional and behavioral symptoms like mood swings, depression, euphoria, insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, loss of appetite, to mention a few.
What are the types of bipolar disorder?
It can be broken down into different types depending on the severity, and length or frequency of occurrence.
Bipolar I disorder: This is a case where a person has had at least one manic episode. The following episodes might be hypomanic or could be depressive. You’ve had at least one manic episode that may be preceded or followed by hypomanic or major depressive episodes.
Bipolar II disorder: In this case a person has experienced a least a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode but has never had mania.
Cyclothymic disorder: In this case a person has had hypomanic or depressive episodes for a period of more than two years (one year in children). Some other forms of bipolar disorders might be drug induced, or a fallout of excessive alcohol or sickness such as the Cushing’s disease or stroke.
When should I see a doctor?
It is very common for people to be confused about when to draw the line between regular mood swings and a disorder. But sooner or later, very regular mood swings might start to disrupt your life and affect your relationships with people. When this starts to happen, it is advisable to seek treatment immediately by visiting a mental health specialist. Watch out for depression just after a euphoric phase. In some cases, this can cause you to make major bad decisions that could be financial or cause major relationship dents. Sometimes patients land themselves in deep legal problems.
If you experience any unusual feeling of mania or depression, do not hesitate to see a GP or mental health professional for proper diagnosis and treatment. Starting treatment on time can help you control bipolar disorder symptoms and prevent further damage to your life and relationships.
We provide services to people living in the DFW area, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Fort worth, Cedar Hill, Desoto etc. Contact us on 319-600-6693 to schedule an appointment. Visit our website today at https://ghbehavioralhealth.com/?p=2002&preview=true.