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What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder (also called manic-depressive disorder) is a mental illness
that causes people to have severe high and low moods. People with this illness
swing from feeling overly happy and joyful to feeling deeply sad. In between
these mood swings, they may have normal moods.
Bipolar disorder usually starts before a person reaches the age of 35. Often,
it begins in young adulthood. At least 2 million people in the United States
have this illness. When given proper treatment, most people with bipolar
disorder can lead more stable lives.
What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?
To understand bipolar disorder, it's helpful to know how mental health care
providers talk about severe mood swings. The word "manic" describes
periods when the person feels overly excited and confident. These feelings can
quickly turn to confusion, anger, and even rage. The word "depressive"
describes periods when the person feels very sad (depressed).
During manic periods, people with bipolar disorder may:
- Be overly happy, hopeful, and excited
- Change suddenly from being joyful to being angry and hostile
- Behave in strange ways
- Become restless
- Talk rapidly
- Have a lot of energy and need very little sleep
- Believe they have many skills and powers and can do anything
- Make grand plans
- Show poor judgment and make impulsive, harmful decisions
- Become headstrong, annoying, or demanding
- Become easily distracted
- Abuse drugs and alcohol
- Have a much higher sex drive
During depressive periods, they may:
- Feel empty, sad, or hopeless
- Feel guilty, worthless, or helpless
- Cry often
- Lose interest in things they usually enjoy, including sex
- Be unable to think clearly, make decisions, or remember things
- Sleep poorly
- Lose or gain weight
- Have low energy
- Abuse drugs and alcohol
- Complain of headaches, stomach aches, and other pains
- Become focused on death
- Attempt suicide
Do mood swings follow a pattern?
Many times, there is no clear pattern of when or how often manic periods
will occur, or when or how often they will take turns with depressive periods.
Some people with bipolar disorder will have many periods of depression before
becoming manic. Others will quickly switch between high and low moods and back
again. Severe mood swings can happen over days, weeks, months, or years.
Who gets bipolar disorder?
Anyone can develop bipolar disorder, but it is most common among people between
the ages of 18 and 35. People whose parents have bipolar disorder are also more
likely to have the illness. It's not yet known what causes bipolar disorder.
How can I know if someone I care about has bipolar disorder?
Without the help of a mental health care provider, it's difficult to know if
someone has bipolar disorder. The illness can begin with a severe and
long-lasting period of depression in the teen years. A manic period may not
follow until years later. Sometimes, the illness starts with a manic period that
develops over weeks or, less commonly, within hours. If the person abuses
alcohol or drugs, he or she may be wrongly viewed as having only a drug or
alcohol problem.
If you think someone you care about has bipolar disorder, get help. If the
person is threatening to kill himself or herself, get help right away. Take the
person to a hospital or call your local 24-hour suicide prevention hotline.
How is bipolar disorder treated?
Bipolar disorder is treated with counseling and medications ordered by a
doctor. Medications have helped many people with bipolar disorder lead normal
lives. Lithium and other medications are commonly ordered to reduce manic
states, control depression, and stabilize the person's moods. Antidepressants
often are ordered in combination with lithium. Medicines used to control
convulsions
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