What is bipolar disorder?

People with bipolar disorder experience extreme mood swings. It is normal to have "ups and downs" but in these patients, "ups" are very high (manic pole) and "low" is very low (depressive pole). This disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness.

The duration of manic or depressive episodes is a few weeks to several months. Their frequency is also variable.

When the subject is neither manic phase, or depressive phase, they behaves normally and feel well. These periods of "normality" may take several years.

Each patient has thus its own "cycle" which is composed of a manic phase, a normal phase and a depressive phase. Bipolar disorder with rapid cycle occurs when patients have at least four cycles per year. Sometimes the mood can change every day, making the lives of these patients extremely difficult.

An estimated 1% the number of people affected by this disease. More women are affected than men. On average, bipolar disorder appears to be 30 or more.

Current research is important for genetic factors in causing this trouble. However, various external sources of stress seem to be able to promote the occurrence of an episode. The seasons also affect mood disorders: mania is more common in summer and depression in winter.

Basic Methods of Bipolar Disorder Treatment

If in the presence of a typical manic, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder or manic-depressive psychosis is usually easily dealt with atypical forms.
Many patients are committing crime during manic episodes well before a diagnosis has been made.

The disease can occur at any age with 3 peak frequency: adolescence, 25 and 40 years old. Apart from crime, an abrupt change of mood (break with the previous state), a multiplicity of projects and excessive spending should be warning signs.
In the age group 16-22 years, peak frequency of appearance of bipolar disorder, behavior, patients may suffer "crisis of adolescence" and use excessive consumption of intoxicant in 60% of cases.

During the years between the onset of diagnosis net, these high-risk patients (overspending, emotional chaos, disorder conducted with professional difficulties, medico-legal problems, suicide attempts [50%] or suicide ( 1 in 5) are receiving inappropriate treatment.

• Depression: depressed unipolar change in 50% of cases to a TB. We must find moments of hypomania (perceived as a welfare), little mentioned by the depressed, be careful about too rapid a response to the introduction of antidepressant treatment (for a TB) and monitoring any oscillations thymic after symptomatic improvement of depression In particular, depression of the child looks different: little or no sadness, hypersomnia, weight gain, irritability, somatic complaints, anxiety, feeling of emptiness. Note that treatment with tricyclic antidepressant or IRS may cause an outbreak as a manic episode.
• The hypomania is a mitigated form mania. In the discrete forms in adults, may be accompanied by improved performance and creativity compatible with socio-professional patient.

• The hypomania of children and adolescents can express themselves through anger access, an "emotional storm" over-familiarity, hyperactivity, Attention Problems, a school indiscipline, a hypersexualité , A feeling of omnipotence, risk behaviors and / or antisocial.
• The addiction: 30% of adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder make abuse of alcohol or drugs that modify the table and make diagnosis difficult (presence of psychotic symptoms not congruent with the mood)
• The behavioral disorders (impulsivity, irritability, aggressiveness, conduct disorders) should attract attention. Moreover, there is a significant comorbidity anxious with bipolar disorder (generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia) complicating care.

Bipolar Disorder Treatment and Prevention

As the nature and severity of the disorder varies considerably from person to person, treatment should be tailored to the needs of each patient. Most people with this disorder are prescribed drugs called psychoregulators or mood regulator. Lithium is the most used psychoregulator. It is effective in about 70% of cases of bipolar disorder since it reduces fluctuations between depression and mania. However, it is less effective in the presence of certain forms, including bipolar disorder in rapid cycles (where patients suffer rapid fluctuations between depression and mania and have at least four episodes per year) and mixed (where the manic and depressive symptoms are present at the same time). As the effects of lithium do not occur until 1 to 2 weeks, often prescribed drugs is given, also called as antipsychotics (haloperidol on, for example) to relieve symptoms until the lithium takes effect. Given the side effects and the risk of drug interactions associated with lithium, and the need to maintain the blood medication to a precise level to ensure its effectiveness, people receiving this treatment must be the subject of strict medical surveillance. The potential side effects of lithium, which are more pronounced in the elderly include tremors, muscle spasms, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, thirst, frequent need to urinate, weight gain, worsening of psoriasis acneiform, headache, confusion, dizziness and convulsions.

Other psychoregulators include medicines more recently being marketed as carbamazepine (TegretolMD) and divalproex (EpivalMD). Associated with fewer side effects, these drugs are effective against bipolar disorder, lithium as the form cycles and rapid mixed. These drugs still a need close medical supervision, because carbamazepine can reduce the number of red blood cells and divalproex can cause liver disorders, especially among children.

Some people who are take psychoregulators feel less alert and creative and want to abandon it. Psychotherapy is often recommended to help patients understand the mechanism of action of the drug and the type of relief it can get. Often, the therapist organizes group sessions to enable the patient's family to understand his condition. Education and psychotherapy are an important part of treatment of bipolar disorder.

In addition to psychoregulators, medicines called antidepressants are sometimes used during depressive episodes. These drugs alter the concentrations of certain chemicals in the brain to improve the mood of the person. The doctor should ensure close supervision of patients with bipolar disorder, given that antidepressants may cause the switch to a manic or hypomanic episode, ie a more mild mania. They can also accelerate fluctuations between depression and mania. Inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAOIs), who form a group of antidepressants, as buproprion (WelbutrinMD) result in a slower transition between cycles compared to other antidepressants.

The doctor may prescribe a light therapy, called phototherapy, in which the patient suffers from bipolar disorder is placed in a closed room with artificial lighting. If the person has a depressive episode, the lighting is increased to simulate the longer days of summer. If the person is fussy, light is reduced to resemble the days of winter. The doctor must carefully mix the right amount of light. If the patient receives too much light, it can become hypomanic or be suffering from a disorder of sight.

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

Bipolar disorder usually begins after three to six months of depression. This disorder is different from depression because those affected also have periods of mania. They may or may not feel quite normal for some time between periods of depression and mania. During the manic phase, the person may seem in overdrive, angry or hostile. They can easily melt into tears or looks nice. It may affect any people with any occupation. People with bipolar disorder is impulsive and have difficulty concentrating on one task, given that his thoughts move at a high rate. Physically, the person with bipolar disorder needs less sleep and is more active, eat less and have increased libido.

Bipolar disorder can be classified as type I, which is serious, or Type II, which is milder. Some people feel manic and depressive at the same time. This disorder is called bipolar mixed state. People who suffer from bipolar disorder type II often feel depressed in the fall and winter and at mania period in the spring and summer. Another disorder called cyclothymic disorder is a moderate form of bipolar disorder. It is characterized by short, frequent episodes of depression and mania. Each episode usually only lasts a few days. Cyclothymic disorder can evolve into bipolar disorder, although this is relatively rare. Cyclothymic a person can have great success at work because of the large amount of energy available during periods of mania. As against this disorder can also lead to unequal achievement at school or work, difficulties in terms of personal relationships and a tendency to alcoholism or drug addiction. About one third of people who suffer from yclothymic disorder will become depressed.

Bipolar Disorder Introduction

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, a condition which causes cyclical fluctuations of recurrent mood, energy level and behavior. People with bipolar disorder feel depressed for a certain period of time, also as called the episode. The episode may be followed by a period which the person feels normal, or a period of turmoil and extreme excitement, also called mania. Men and women to have the same risk. Bipolar disorder is usually occur between 18 and 44 years of age. Emergence of bipolar disorder after 65 years is rare. It is a relatively uncommon disorder: less than 2% of the population suffer bipolar disorder.

Causes
Researchers do not know the exact cause. They believe, however, it can probably be explained by genetic or social factors (about 80 to 90% of patients have a parent with an emotional disorder).