| Bipolar is an illness that causes stress and extreme | | | | pleasure in activities a person usually enjoys. A Mixed |
| mood changes. An individual or group that experiences | | | | episode includes symptoms of both manic and |
| bipolar symptoms has maniac episodes of high energy | | | | depressive behavior. |
| to the extreme lows of depression. | | | | Bipolar Disorders are serious conditions, and each |
| It is a psychiatric condition defined by extreme, often | | | | individual's symptoms are different. |
| inappropriate and unpredictable mood swings. | | | | If their symptoms are not managed, friends and family |
| These moods can occur on a spectrum ranging from | | | | may feel confused by their extreme changes in mood. |
| debilitating depression to unbridled mania, and from a | | | | There is no cure however, there are effective |
| minor annoyance to lifelong disability. This disease is | | | | approaches to help manage these symptoms. Some |
| often difficult to diagnose, due to the complex nature | | | | options may include talk therapy, group therapy, and |
| of the disorder. Among the more than five million adults | | | | prescription medication or any combination of these. |
| in America who have this disease and their "mood | | | | Bipolar Disorder is being diagnosed more and more in |
| swings" can be extreme or frequent. These changes | | | | children, often at a young age, and in adolescents. It |
| occur in cycles and are referred to as "episodes". | | | | can be classified as ADHD or ADD. The concurrent |
| Bipolar Disorder is a disease thought to be caused by | | | | diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and Alcohol or/and Drug |
| changes in the chemistry of the brain. The symptoms | | | | Addiction are closely linked. Articles and Stories in this |
| and severity of the condition can vary, but with the | | | | new area are being added frequently. As with any |
| proper treatment, Bipolar symptoms can be managed. | | | | long term illness a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder is not |
| On average, people with this disease spend ten years | | | | easy to accept or live with. Stress is not a cause of |
| or more seeking treatment before finally getting | | | | but it can initiate an episode. |
| diagnosed. One survey found that as many as 70% of | | | | Please remember that since there are many different |
| people with Bipolar Disorder are initially diagnosed with | | | | types of mental illnesses. Instead, diagnosis is based on |
| a different condition. Often, this is because people only | | | | your family history, your personal medical history, your |
| tend to seek treatment during a depressive episode | | | | symptoms and when they began. |
| and neglect to discuss manic symptoms with their | | | | How Bipolar symptoms first appeared also may |
| healthcare professionals. | | | | determine whether someone is correctly diagnosed |
| This particular mental illness does tend to run in families, | | | | from the beginning. "If their first episode is a whopping |
| although having a family history of the condition doesn't | | | | classical mania that lands them in the hospital, their |
| necessarily mean a person will develop the disease. | | | | typically not misdiagnosed," says Dr. Thase. "But at |
| Early diagnosis and proper treatment can help. While | | | | least half the time, depression precedes the onset of |
| the causes of Bipolar Disorder are still unknown, the | | | | mania, especially in women and in people who have |
| symptoms are thought to be triggered by an | | | | bipolar II." |
| imbalance of some key chemicals in the brain. | | | | In those cases, the first diagnosis is often major |
| There is nothing specifically that someone does to | | | | depressive disorder, not bipolar disorder. |
| "get" Bipolar Disorder, nor is it anyone's fault. Bipolar | | | | In the future, a blood test that determines bipolar may |
| Disorder is a disease like other diseases that may | | | | be possible; until then, getting an accurate diagnosis can |
| simply occur in certain people. | | | | be so tricky that in most cases it's going to require |
| A diagnosis for a major depressive episode requires | | | | working with a psychiatrist; preferably one who |
| having a depressed mood or loss of interest or | | | | specializes in mood disorders. |