Bipolar Disorder

The previous name for Bipolar disorder was Manic-depression. Generally, people understand this disorder as only affecting one's mood, whether it also influences energy levels and self-esteem, clouds judgment, interferes with memory, or disturbs sleep patterns and appetite. It is a brain disorder that causes serious shifts in mood, energy levels, and social functioning. Everyone around us encounters ups and downs, which are considered to be normal. It would not be wrong to say that anybody can experience mood swings.
Nobody is immune to aggression, grief, or sadness, but shifts in bipolar disorder are unlike ordinary mood swings. It refers to two bio-psychological states: mania and depression. Mania is characterized as a hyperactive phase of this illness in which patients experience overly excited, unusually high, or irritable moods. On the other hand, depression is characterized as an overly sad or hopeless mood state.

Bipolar Disorder

In a manic state, individuals can experience an inflated sense of self-esteem and consider themselves superior to others. Often, they tell exaggerated stories about their wealth, power, abilities, or spiritual standings. This mood state also accompanies a decreased need for sleep and highly impulsive behavior. Racing thoughts and rapid speech are also common. People in mania become delusional very often. Sometimes, they even experience other psychotic features like hallucinations. In contrast to mania, depression is considered to be an inactive state of mood. Usually, mania precedes depression because the brain and body experience a high level of energy. The exhaustion of mania precipitates a crash into the deactivated state of bipolar depression.

Bipolar Disorder

Feeling of hopelessness and inability to experience pleasure or lack of interest are common features of depression. In this phase, people experience very low self-esteem, may feel worthless, and also experience guilt. This state accompanies slow speech, slow physical movement, isolation, and suicidal ideation. People with bipolar disorder, when in the manic phase, are considered to be very happy, but in fact, the manic phase represents a loss of control over actions and thoughts. They also get irritable when the mania progress
People misperceive this illness as it shifts back and forth very often between poles, mania, and depression. Actually, most bipolar patients are more often depressed than they are manic and may experience longtime without symptoms. Bipolar disorder co-exists with several mental illnesses that make it hard to diagnose and even increases the chances of misdiagnosis. Substance abuse is a co-occurring disorder with bipolarity. The Relation between these two disorders is bi-directional. People with bipolar may also encounter social anxiety disorder, Attention-Deficit-Hyper-Activity disorder (ADHD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Feeling of hopelessness and inability to experience pleasure or lack of interest are common features of depression. In this phase, people experience very low self-esteem, may feel worthless, and also experience guilt. This state accompanies slow speech, slow physical movement, isolation, and suicidal ideation. People with bipolar disorder, when in the manic phase, are considered to be very happy, but in fact, the manic phase represents a loss of control over actions and thoughts. They also get irritable when the mania progress
People misperceive this illness as it shifts back and forth very often between poles, mania, and depression. Actually, most bipolar patients are more often depressed than they are manic and may experience longtime without symptoms. Bipolar disorder co-exists with several mental illnesses that make it hard to diagnose and even increases the chances of misdiagnosis. Substance abuse is a co-occurring disorder with bipolarity. The Relation between these two disorders is bi-directional. People with bipolar may also encounter social anxiety disorder, Attention-Deficit-Hyper-Activity disorder (ADHD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Bipolar Disorder