Types and Causes of Bipolar Disorders - Essay Example

Bipolar Disorder ID Lecturer Introduction Depressive disorders are more common then we think. It has been discovered through research that one in every seven people in United States comes down with this illness every year. One such depression disorder is bipolar disorder also known by the name manic depressive disorder. It can be simply defined as a psychological problem associated with mood, in which a person experiences mania, which is excessive happiness, irritation or excitement. On the other hand, they experience low moods known as depression in which they feel sad, suicidal, and lonely and problems with concentrating (Author Unknown 2009). Many famous names are also there in the list of people who are victims of this disease. Such names include Robin Williams, Jim Carry, Winston Churchill and many others. Types of Bipolar Disorders As there are different symptoms that are found in different patients of bipolar disorder thus the doctors have divided it in four categories so that the patients can be treated according to their individual requirements. These four levels are, bipolar I, bipolar II, Cyclothymiacs Disorder, or Bipolar Disorder. These classifications are made on the basis of Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale (BSDS). This disease although usually occurs in the earlier twenties, is not uncommon amongst teenagers or even children, therefore we can say that people belonging to any age group are prone to it (Ghaemi 2005). Further, as this problem is related to the brain other aspects of behavior, feelings and attitude are also affected. Often other people around fail to understand this change in personality and blame the patient for this change. They do not see it as an illness, but a choice made by the victim. Some people who experience this problem turn to temporary solutions such as doping or drinking. However, this temporary solution aggravates the problem in the long run. Causes of Bipolar Disorder Doctors and scientists suggest multiple causes of this illness. They suggest that usually a conglomeration of these reasons result in this disease. The reasons include genetic inheritance of the disease, biochemical disorder and also social and environmental factors. As far as the genetic factor is concerned, if a close relative of a certain person has this disease the chances are elevated that it will be passed down to that person even, however it is not a sure shot thing. It has even been discovered through research related to identical twins that both might not inherit this disease. This clearly illustrates that genes does not alone determine this problem. Researchers are still working on identifying the genes really responsible for this illness. Candidate and chromosomal genes are said to have a relation but nothing has been proven completely as yet. Elaborating on the biochemical disorder, it is suggested that imbalance in the neurotransmitters, which are brain cells, cause this disease because the mood regulating system of the brain does not work in the desired way. Thirdly, the environment factors include any stressor such as death of a close person, divorce, job loss or any other such trauma can trigger this problem. Symptoms of this Illness Often people ask the question that sadness and happiness is experienced by all human beings from time to time so what is so abnormal about bipolar disorder. The answer to this question is that in case of this illness the moods experienced are more severe and they fluctuate and move like a pendulum between two extremes (Frye 2009). As there are two extreme ends of this disease there are also two different sets of symptoms that are experienced as mood moves from one extreme to another. Mania or Hypermania We have already discussed what mania is, if it is experienced in its milder form it is hypermania. Symptoms of this state of moods are, increased energy, extremely fast speaking and thinking process, decreased fear and need for sleep, reckless behavior, difficulty in concentrating and many other. It is important to address hypermania at an early stage so as to remove the repercussions which could easily be related with the bipolar disorder. Depression On the other end of the rope, people experience appetite loss, lack of interest in work and normal activities, feeling of worthlessness or insignificance and desire for death. Some symptoms of depression are totally opposite to that of Mania, for instance, in case of depression one sleeps excessively. The symptoms of this disease vary according to age. For instance, in children rapid mood swings are more common than in adults, they can have a change of mood several times within a day. On the other hand, an adult usually experiences one side for a week or so and then switches back to the other side. Sometimes there is a relaxation period in the middle in which the person goes perfectly normal or really close to it. However, some patients are not blessed with this break. Apart from age difference there is also a gender difference that was discovered. More specifically research suggests that rapid switching is more common amongst females then amongst males. Additionally, symptoms in females are linked with their monthly menstrual cycle. An interesting finding is that there is a correlation between bipolar disorder and creativity and thus there is a question open for research as to many creative artists and other people had this disease too. Diagnosing this Disease The first step in curing any disease is diagnosing and recognizing the disease. This is the challenge often faced by psychiatrists and psychologists when they come across bipolar patients. The problem here like any other disease is that if it is not recognized correctly or on time the situation can become worse or even deadly because patients who are not treated properly either become severe victims or turn to other types of abuses such as alcohol. Moreover, this disease is often confused with other diseases such as schizophrenia. Post traumatic disorder and many other that have completely different treatment but very similar symptoms and thus the chances of mixing them up are very high and equally dangerous. The worst kind of problems and illnesses are those that cannot be diagnosed using brain scan, blood test or similar lab examinations. This is a common problem with many psychological diseases including multi-personality disorder and also the illness under discussion here, bipolar disorder (Leahy 2004). However, extensive research is being conducted on this issue and we might be able to come up with a more accurate way of diagnosing it. The process of diagnosing usually includes a patient complaining about his own problem, backed up by the opinion of people around him. This is followed by long session with the psychiatrist who discusses the problem including the history of the patient. Further, a psychiatrist test might be taken. Sometimes blood and other lab tests are also conducted to cross out other similar diseases. Treatment This illness can be cured by working closely with doctors and therapists and learning to control symptoms of this problem. Usually a treatment plan is formed which is a detailed plan of the medication that will be prescribed and the therapy that will be conducted. It usually requires the support of family and friends. The medicines that are prescribed include mood stabilizers, anti-psychotic medications and sometimes also antidepressants and therapy usually includes counseling with close ones (Frank 2005). The treatment is done in an outpatient basis and only in extreme conditions is it made on the inpatient basis. Extensive research is being conducted in this field and sooner or later we might be able to find a one step cure to this disease or even a precautionary measure. References Author Unknown. (2009). Bipolar Disorder. Found Online at: http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/bipolar.html Frank, E. (2005). Treating Bipolar Disorder: A Clinicians Guide to Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy. Guilford Press Frye, M. (2009). Bipolar disorder symptoms can come in many forms. Found Online at: http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/all-bipolar0831,0,1575196.story Ghaemi, S. (2005). Sensitivity and specificity of a new bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale. Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 84, Issues 2-3 Leahy, R. (2004). Psychological Treatment of Bipolar Disorder. Guilford Press Word Count: 1,264 Read More