Why Bipolar Disorder Is So Common in Modern Society
“A vivid imagination is great possibility but a manic imagination is a curse”
- Stanley Victor
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that is characterized by extreme mood shifts. A common symptom is mania which is an extremely elevated mood. It can also include depression episodes. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression or bipolar disease.
Bipolar disease is a serious mental illness that can destroy relationships, negatively affect academic performance and undermine career prospects. In some serious cases, it can lead to suicide. Research studies show that three percent of Americans have a bipolar diagnosis disorder and eighty-three percent of the cases were classified as severe.
Most Americans who were diagnosed were between the ages of 15 and 25. However, this does not mean that older people cannot be affected. Males and females can be affected equally. There is no cure for bipolar disorder; however, there are several treatment options that can help in the management of bipolar symptoms.
Facts about bipolar disorder
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Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
The three major symptoms that have been reported to occur with bipolar disorder are depression, mania, and hypomania. A person who experiences mania may feel an emotional high. This is characterized by excitement, impulsive behaviors and high levels of energy. During these episodes, the person may engage in dangerous behaviors such as abusing drugs, having unprotected sex and spending money lavishly.
Bipolar II disorder is usually associated with the hypomania. The condition is similar to mania but a bit severe. Unlike mania, hypomania may have not have any serious trouble at school, work or social relationships but some changes can be noticed in their mood.
Episodes of depression are characterized by hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, loss of energy, lack of interest in fun activities and deep sadness. While bipolar is not a rare condition, it can be difficult to diagnose due to its varying symptoms.
Common bipolar disorder symptoms in females
As we said earlier, both men and women are affected by bipolar disorder equally. However, the main symptoms of the disorder between males and females are different. In most cases, a woman with bipolar disorder will be diagnosed for the disorder in her 20s or 30s, have stronger episodes of mania, experience depressive episodes than manic, experience other conditions such as obesity, thyroid disease, migraines and anxiety and have a high risk of alcohol abuse.
Females with bipolar disorder often relapse due to hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, menstruation or menopause. It’s important to seek immediate medical attention if you think you may have bipolar disorder.
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Common bipolar disorder symptoms in males
Bipolar disorder types
Bipolar I
Bipolar II
Cyclothymia
Cyclothymia is a type of bipolar disorder characterized by depression and hypomania. These symptoms less severe and shorter than the mania and depression in the two bipolar disorder types. Most people will only experience this condition for a month or two when their moods are quite stable.
After visiting your doctor and being diagnosed, you’ll be informed about the type of bipolar disorder that you have and the best course of treatment.
Bipolar disorder and children
Diagnosing bipolar disorder in children is not easy because unlike adults, children never display similar bipolar disorder symptoms. Their moods and behaviors do not follow the criteria that most medical professionals use while diagnosing adults.
Most bipolar disorder symptoms in children normally overlap from a wide range of disorders that are common in children, for instance, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD.
In the last couple of years, medical professionals have recognized that children are also affected by bipolar disorder. A diagnosis will help children receive the right course of treatment. However, a diagnosis may take several weeks and months. Your child needs to seek specialized care from a professional trained to diagnose children with mental issues.
Similar to adults, children with bipolar disorder tend to experience elevated moods. They can be extremely happy and excited about everything. And this is normally followed by depression. While every child experiences changes in mood, changes effected by bipolar disorder are normally strong. They are more extreme than a normal change in mood.
Manic episodes in children
Some of the common symptoms of a child’s manic episode include feeling unusually happy or acting very silly, changing subjects rapidly and talking too fast, indulging in risky or life-threatening activities, having a short temper that leads to outbursts, having a hard time concentrating and insomnia.
Depressive episodes in children
Some of the common symptoms during a child’s depressive episode include sleeping too much or failing to sleep, feeling guilty or worthless, eating too much or a lack of appetite, feeling very sad, having little energy or showing little interest in everything and thinking about suicide.
Other diagnoses
Do not panic if your child shows some or all of these symptoms. They could be caused by other underlying conditions. That’s why it’s important to seek medical attention if you notice your child showing any unusual behaviors. Once your child is diagnosed, treatment will start immediately.
Teens and bipolar disorder
Every parent knows how a typical teenager behaves. The changes in hormones plus puberty can make even the most disciplined teen upset and emotional regularly. However, some teenage behaviors can be caused by bipolar disorder and other serious conditions.
Most teenagers are diagnosed with bipolar disorder during the early adult years or late teens. Some of the common symptoms in the manic episode are feeling very happy, indulging in very risky behaviors, thinking about sex all the time, being unusually sexually active, abusing drugs, having a short temper, being distracted easily and insomnia with no signs of fatigue.
During the depressive episode, some of the common symptoms include sleeping a lot, eating too little or too much, withdrawing from friends and activities, feeling sad and having suicidal thoughts. Teens need to be diagnosed as early as possible to avoid accidents and death.
Research-based, personalized therapy.
At My LA Therapy, our warm and experienced therapists specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, & relationships.
Depression and Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder has both up and down extremes. For one to be diagnosed with this condition, he or she must have experienced a period of hypomania or mania. During this phase, people usually feel “up”. A person experiencing an “up” may feel very happy and highly energized.
After the “up” mood comes the “down” mood. Someone experiencing the “down” mood may feel unmotivated, lethargic and sad. However, not everyone with bipolar disorder may be labeled as depressed while feeling “down”. For example, people who have their mania treated may feel depressed because the normal cannot be compared to the “high” they experienced.
It’s important to keep in mind that bipolar disorder can lead to depression. But it is not depression in itself. Bipolar disorders can lead to ups and downs. There are several differences between depression and bipolar disease that you can find here.
Causes of bipolar disorder
Today, bipolar disorder is a common mental disorder. However, it continues to puzzle medical professionals and experienced researchers. The causes of this disorder are not very clear. However, some of the possible causes that have been compiled are:
1. Genetics – If a parent or relative has bipolar disorder, the chances of you developing the same condition are very high. However, you should keep in mind that most people who have bipolar disorder in their family trees don’t develop it.
2. Abnormalities – Your risk for the disease can be increased by your brain structure. Abnormalities in the structure of the brain will affect how it functions and this may increase the risk of bipolar disorder.
3. Environment – Your environment plays a big role in shaping who you are. Outside factors such as extreme stress, physical illness, and trauma can increase your chances of developing bipolar disorder.
4. Treating bipolar disorder – Medical professionals have designed several treatment courses to help in the management of this disorder. They include medications such as lithium to stabilize moods, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines, psychotherapy and lifestyle changes. Psychotherapy involves talking to your therapist so that he or she can understand your thinking patterns.
Lifestyle changes include recognizing your moods, talking to someone and keeping a routine of sleeping and eating.
Conclusion
Bipolar disorder is a mental condition that is characterized by extreme fluctuations in mood and energy levels. If left untreated, it can lead to lots of damages and even death. Therefore, it’s important to seek medical help whenever you start showing the symptoms that we’ve discussed above.
The most developed nation in the world has reported the highest number of bipolar disorders due to several reasons such as the economic environment, genetics, and abnormalities. We can reduce the number of people suffering from this disorder by seeking medical help as soon as possible.
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