Mental health disorders are no longer a stigma that has afflicted society, but the members of society are working responsibly towards finding ways to combat various mental health illnesses. Previously, mental health-related problems were not considered illnesses, and thus, people suffered immensely for years in their lives. However, now responsible thinking and research for mental health illnesses like depression, anxiety, personality disorder, or bipolar disorder has led to the development of easily available yet effective treatments. To treat the condition of bipolar disorder, experts suggest going with bipolar disorder supportive therapy. These are special talk therapies designed to help individuals suffering from these conditions. The condition is manageable with proper medication, therapy, and certain lifestyle changes which we will be discussing ahead.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition in which the person suffering undergoes intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thought patterns, and behavior. This sudden shift of emotions is called a mood episode. These mood episodes can last for hours, days, or even weeks. Hence disrupting one’s day-to-day lifestyle. This disorder was formerly known as manic-depressive illness or manic depression.
What are the types of bipolar disorder?
Typically, there are four types of bipolar disorder, and those are,
- Bipolar l disorder
People who are suffering from this type have experienced one or more episodes of mania. Most people suffering from bipolar disorder will suffer from both mania and depressive episodes. It has been seen that depression lasts for at least a week, and to be diagnosed with the type l variant of bipolar disorder, one has to have maniac episodes that last for at least a week or longer. In certain cases, it can be so serious that the affected individual might even have to be admitted to a hospital.
People suffering from this type of disorder can also experience mixed states where they feel the symptoms of both manic and depressive episodes.
- Bipolar ll disorder
People with bipolar ll must have experienced depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic episodes are similar to mania, but the symptoms of mania are much worse than hypomania. While they never experience a full manic episode, which is more of a characteristic of bipolar type l.
Though hypomania is less impairing than mania, bipolar ll disorder can be more debilitating than bipolar l disorder due to chronic depression being much more common in this variant, which makes the person suffering from low mood tides more often.
- Cyclothymic disorder/Cyclothymia
People suffering from cyclothymia disorder usually have a chronically unravelled state of mood throughout. They experience symptoms of hypomania and mild depression for two years at least. They can also experience brief periods of normal mood, which is also known as euthymia, but this state of euthymia lasts fewer than eight weeks straight.
- Other Types
If a person does not meet the diagnostic criteria decided for bipolar l, ll, or cyclothymia but has still experienced periods of clinically significant abnormalities in mood, then this condition can be categorized in this other specified or unspecified bipolar disorder.
The signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder
The most defining symptom of bipolar disorder is people suffering from manic or hypomanic episode that lasts for at least seven days. Whereas these are individuals who suffer from manic or hypomanic episodes along with depressive episodes. This causes extreme fluctuations of the mood states and does not allow one to follow a pattern of identifying one particular model lasting for days. Though the severity of manic or depressive states can differ from person to person, or even the same individual can experience the same episodes for different periods.
Symptoms of manic episodes
- Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement
- Restlessness
- Increased energy and less requirement for sleep
- Making grand and untrainable plans
- Rapid speech and racing thoughts
- Increased impulsivity
- Risk-taking behavior like drug abuse or involving in unprotected and unsafe sex
- Feeling extremely important, talented, or powerful
- Hallucinating or having delusions in most severe cases
Symptoms of hypomania
When people are suffering from bipolar disorder but have milder symptoms like manic episodes, this causes hypomania. While experiencing hypomania, you can feel very good and uplifting at times. Also, planning that you can get done with many tasks at once can even make you a very good performer in social situations or professional scenes.
Symptoms of depressive episodes
- Overwhelming sadness
- Low energy and fatigue
- Lack of motivation
- Feeling hopeless or worthless
- Uncobtrollabel cryingÂ
- Difficulty in concentration
- Not finding pleasure in the task you once enjoyed
- Increased seep
- loss or gain of weight due to changes in appetite
- Suicidal thoughts
Symptoms of mixed episodes
Tepoel, who are suffering from mixed episodes exonic, both manic and depressive symptoms together. During mixed episodes, one will feel the symptoms of depressive episodes, making them feel sad and hopeless while also feeling agitated, restless, or high in energy.
What causes bipolar disorder?
The factors that contribute towards the development of bipolar disorder are,
- Changes in your brain, along with it being genetically inherited in some cases.
- Environmental factors like stress and trauma can also constitute the development of bipolar disorder.
Conclusion
We understand identifying any mental health condition is not easy, and seeking help for it is equally difficult. However, with proper treatment, therapies, and Bipolar disorder treatment at home, you can experience improvement in the condition. Confronting mental health issues will not only improve your quality of life but will also help you maintain good personal and social relationships.
