WHAT IS BIPOLAR DISORDER?

Bipolar disorder  is a mental health disorder that causes episodes of extreme mood swings- emotional highs and lows.  It is a lifelong condition which can still be managed better with a treatment plan.

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown. Several factors may be involved, such as: 

●     Biological differences:  Patients appear to have physical changes in their brains.

●     Genetics : More common in people who have a first-degree relative, a sibling or parent, suffering with bipolar disorder.

●     Periods of high stress or other traumatic events

●     Drug or alcohol abuse

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER?

Its symptoms can cause unpredictable changes in mood and behavior, resulting in significant distress and difficulty in general.Both a manic and hypomanic episode might include three or more of the following behaviors:

●     unusually upbeat, jumpy or slowed behavior

●     hyper activity, energy, agitation or low on energy

●     over self-confidence (euphoria) or feelings of worthlessness

●     decreased sleep or over sleeping

●     excessive talkativeness

●     continuous thoughts

●     distracted

●     poor decision-making

●     depressive episodes (sadness, feeling empty,hopeless or tearful, uninterested, weight loss or gain)

●     suicidal tendencies

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Diagnosis: To diagnose bipolar disorder, following evaluations may be done:

●     Physical exam

●     Psychiatric assessment

●     Mood charting

●     Study of sleep patterns, et cetera

Treatment : The primary treatments for bipolar disorder include medications and psychological counseling to control symptoms. The doctor may recommend hospitalisation in case of dangerous behaviour such as feeling suicidal or becoming far detached from reality (psychotic).

Other treatment options could be:

●     Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

●     Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. Despite the mood extremes, people with bipolar disorder often don't recognise how much their emotional instability disrupts their lives and that of their loved ones. A specialist should be consulted at the earliest on the onset of symptoms

2. Some prevention tips may include: 

●     Quit drinking or using recreational drugs.

●     Form healthy positive relationships

●     Create a healthy eating and sleeping  routine

●     Check first before taking other medications

●    Keeping a note on a mood chart to better understand patterns of behavior better

3. Left untreated, bipolar disorder can result in various other serious problems:

●     drug and alcohol use

●     suicide

●     legal or financial issues

●     ruptured relationships

●     poor performance at work or school

●   Co-occurring conditions and various mental disorders ( anxiety, anorexia, ADHD,metabolic disorders)