Bipolar Affective Disorder – Depressions And More
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13 January 2010
Bipolar disorder, as it is popularly known, is a kind of mental illness, where the patient tends to have very bad mood swings. The mood of the person cycles between normal behavior, mania, and depression. The depression generally is accompanied by sadness, and the patient feels hopeless and ditched. And, he might sleep too much, and also tends to feel drained out, with very less energy. The maniacal behavior is where the patient is extremely happy. And is very excited, and lets his thought run far and wide, has a great energy, but is generally distracted. There can be occasions where the person might show traits of maniacal, as well as depressed behavior.
This kind of disorder generally happens because of environmental, biological, neurological, and emotional factors. The actual reason for the bipolar disorder is not known yet, but the research people and the doctors are still advancing in this sector.
Bipolar disorder is of two types. The first one is when a person is constantly maniacal, and the second type is where the individual shows excessive traits of being maniacal, and into depression state. In case of the second type of disorder, the depression remains constant, but the maniacal behavior keeps changing.
Even before the bipolar disorder was completely understood, people who have the first kind of disorder are generally assumed to be having schizophrenic. This happens because the first type disorder is also related to the instances when the person has hallucinations, or delusions during maniacal phases.
Clinical depression is what the second type of disorder is often related to. This happens because the patient tends to get depressed, and does not complain to anyone about being happy even during his maniacal spree. This type is often diagnosed only when a person has started undergoing treatment for depression. The anti-depressants used for the patients with bipolar disorder generally tend to put the patient through a gruesome maniacal phase. This is when the patient is switched to the mood stabilizer, after the doctor realizes his folly.
One of the most commonly used treatment for bipolar disorder is the counseling method, or a combo of therapy and medication. The medication often follows the mood stabilizers, or the anti-depressants, of the anti-psychotics. And, in case the patient prefers counseling, he is put through a counseling session, which is an age old practice.
Bipolar disorder is not something that is new. Just that it was not widely known to people. The doctors and research personalities are learning more about the brain and the various ways in which it functions, and are desperately looking for methods to cure this disorder. By the time, if you think that someone around you is showing symptoms of having bipolar disorder, then, it is suggested that he is taken to a doctor to make sure that he is alright, or if there is any problem.
The friends or the family members who are nearby must make sure that a professional help is there to cure their illness. Don't let the bipolar disorder control your life, there is always a cure!