What You Should Know About Bipolar Disorder

General

 

What Is It?

Sometimes called manic depression, bipolar disorder causes extreme shifts in mood. People who have it may spend weeks feeling like they’re on top of the world before plunging into a deep depression. The length of each high and low varies greatly from person to person.

man lying in bed, woman standing in background

What the Depression Phase Is Like

Without treatment, a person with bipolar disorder may have intense episodes of depression. Symptoms include sadness, anxiety, loss of energy, hopelessness, and trouble concentrating. They may lose interest in activities that they used to enjoy. It’s also common to gain or lose weight, sleep too much or too little, and even think about suicide.

People placing bets at roulette table

When Someone Is Manic

During this phase, people feel super-charged and think they can do anything. Their self-esteem soars out of control and it’s hard for them to sit still. They talk more, are easily distracted, their thoughts race, and they don’t sleep enough. It often leads to reckless behavior, such as spending sprees, cheating, fast driving, and substance abuse. Three or more of these symptoms nearly every day for a week accompanied by feelings of intense excitement may signal a manic episode.

pendulum

Bipolar I vs. Bipolar II

People with bipolar I disorder have manic phases for at least a week. Many also have separate depression phases, too.

Those with bipolar ll have bouts of major depression, but instead of full manic episodes, they have low-grade hypomanic swings that are less intense and may  last less than a week. They may seem fine, even like the “life of the party,” though family and friends notice their mood changes.

YOUNG GUITARIST, CLOSE-UP

What’s a “Mixed Episode”?

When people with bipolar disorder have  depression and mania symptoms at the same time, or very close together, this is called a manic or depressive episode with mixed features.  This can lead to unpredictable behavior,  such as taking dangerous risks when feeling hopeless and suicidal but energized and agitated.  Mood episodes involving mixed features may be somewhat more common in women and in people who develop bipolar disorder at a young age.

General
New European HTN Guidelines Hit Hard With Initial Therapy, Keep ‘High-Normal’ Label

he new European guidelines for diagnosing and managing arterial hypertension maintain the previous classification system based on blood pressure  (BP) levels but recommends a harder-hitting initial treatment approach compared to the previous version, released in 2013. The 2018 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Society of Hypertension (ESH) guidelines document …

General
Splenic Abscess Treatment & Management

Once the diagnosis of a splenic abscess has been made, the patient must be admitted to the hospital and treated. Treatment depends on the patient’s overall condition, comorbidities, and primary disorder (if any), as well as the size and topography of the abscess. [22] Empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy has a primary …

General
How to Use Condoms Safely

  If you’re looking for protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) without a prescription, condoms may be a good option to explore. They’re discrete, relatively inexpensive, and don’t involve any synthetic hormones. Condoms are also readily available at your nearest convenience or drug store. What are the safest …

Show Buttons
Hide Buttons