Introduction
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that can cause significant disruptions to your life. It’s characterized by periods of depression and mania, which are two distinct moods that affect the way you think, feel, and act.
Read this article below by Dr. Charles Noplis for more Bipolar Disorders.
What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that affects moods, causing them to swing from one extreme to another. It’s also known as manic depression because the person experiences periods of mania (feeling high and overly happy) and depression (feeling sad).
Bipolar disorder can be hard to diagnose because there are so many different symptoms. The main ones are:
- Depression – feeling sad, crying often, having no interest in things you normally enjoy (like hobbies or sports), losing weight without trying to do so
- Mania – being overly happy for weeks at a time; having racing thoughts all day long; making poor decisions that are hard for others around you to understand
How is bipolar disorder diagnosed?
Bipolar disorder is diagnosed based on a clinical interview by a psychiatrist or other mental health professional. A family doctor can also make the diagnosis if he or she finds that you have symptoms of mania and/or depression.
Diagnosis should not be made based solely on self-reported symptoms, as this can lead to overdiagnosis (mistaking normal behavior for illness) and underdiagnosis (missing an actual illness).
How is treatment decided for bipolar disorder?
Treatment for bipolar disorder is usually decided based on the symptoms and severity of the condition. There are several treatment options available, including medication, therapy and lifestyle changes.
- Medication: Doctors may prescribe a mood stabilizer or antidepressant to help manage your symptoms.
- Therapy: Therapy can help you cope with stressors in your life that could trigger episodes of depression or mania, such as grief over the death of a loved one or divorce from your spouse. It also teaches you how to recognize when it’s time for treatment so that you can seek out medical care before an episode worsens into something more serious than usual (such as psychosis).
- Lifestyle changes: These include eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise every day; avoiding alcohol or drugs if possible; sleeping seven hours each night; reducing stress through relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation instead of binge watching Netflix shows all day long–you get where I’m going with this…
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness, but you can find effective treatments and support.
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that affects about 1 in every 100 people. People with bipolar disorder have extreme changes in mood, energy, and activity levels. These changes can last for days or weeks at a time and often occur along with impulsive behavior and thoughts of suicide.
You can find effective treatments and support for bipolar disorder if you seek help from your doctor or a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist or psychologist who specializes in treating mental health disorders like this one.
Conclusion
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness, but you can find effective treatments and support. If you or someone you know is struggling with bipolar disorder, it’s important to get help right away. Contact your doctor or visit a mental health professional as soon as possible so they can diagnose the condition and make recommendations for treatment options.