Prevalence of Bipolar Disorder - Research Paper Example

? Bipolar Disorder August 2, Bipolar Disorder Introduction Bipolar disorder, sometimes referred to as manic-depressive disorder, is an emotional disorder that is characterized by mood swings consisting of depressive lows to manic highs. When an individual suffers from bipolar disorder, they experience changes in their mood that can be either short and abrupt, happening without warning, or else can last for weeks at a time. Believed to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, bipolar disorder affects the way that an individual feels and acts, often despite the experiences that they are going through in life. With bipolar disorder comes many complications, but there are equally as many treatments in the ongoing battle against this disorder. Causes and Risk Factors Bipolar disorder is among the emotional disorders that has no definite cause. Regardless of the advances made in understanding this disorder, concrete causes are still being questioned and further investigated. However, there is an array of potential causes and risk factors that are believed to play a role in the development of bipolar disorder. Such factors include biological differences, hormones, neurotransmitters, inherited traits, and an individual’s environment. Biological differences, hormones, and neurotransmitters are vital aspects to the workings of an individual’s mind. If even one detail is off mark, the individual can experience a plethora of disorders, including bipolar disorder (Miklowitz & Cicchetti 229). It has been noted that many people who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder have physical alterations to their brains that do not exist in the brains of people who do not have the disorder. It has not been determined as to what causes these changes, but they are one of the characteristics that many bipolar disorder sufferers have in common. Likewise, an imbalance of neurotransmitters, which occur naturally in the brain, are thought to play a part in the causation of bipolar disorder. This imbalance can come in the form of too many or not enough neurotransmitters, or neurotransmitters that are not reacting as they should. The same can be said about an imbalance of hormones. Should an individual have too many or too few hormones, they risk developing bipolar disorder. Since these two features of the brain are important in defining one’s mood, any off-set can trigger many mood disorders, including bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is also believed to be a result of genetics, though the genes connected to the disorder are still to be determined. All the same, it has been shown that bipolar disorder is more common in individuals whose blood family, such as a parent or sibling, has a history of bipolar disorder or other mood disorders. Indeed, if there is a history of mood disorders, the risk of an individual developing the disorder themselves increases significantly. This connection has become too common to be just a coincidence, and doctors and scientists continue to look for the gene that may be linked to bipolar disorder. Finally, an individual’s environment is thought to be associated with the onset of bipolar disorder. “Genes are the bullets, but environment is the trigger” (Grieco & Edwards 63) is the agreement when it comes to most mood disorders. An individual might be prone to bipolar disorder, but they may not show symptoms of this disorder until their environment takes its toll. Stress, abuse, or a significant loss can trigger the start of bipolar disorder. Someone may have the makings for a mood disorder, though quite a few people go their entire lives without realizing it because they are not subjected to certain trigger events in their lives. There are also factors that can increase one’s risk of developing bipolar disorder. As previously mentioned, having blood relatives who have been diagnosed with a mood disorder increases one’s chances of developing bipolar disorder. Being subjected to periods of high stress or major life changes can drastically alter someone’s mood, throwing them into an inconsistent pattern of emotional highs and lows. Drug or alcohol abuse, as well as previously diagnosed anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, increase the risk of developing bipolar disorder. Since many changes take place in a person’s life as they enter adulthood, people in their early twenties are also considered to be at risk for developing bipolar disorder. Symptoms The symptoms of bipolar disorder depend on a variety of factors, such as the type of bipolar disorder and whether the individual is experiencing a manic high or a depressive low. Symptoms are also dependent based on the individual’s age and if they have been previously diagnosed with any form of depression, anxiety, or other mood disorder. The three types of bipolar disorder are bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and cyclothymic disorder. With bipolar I disorder comes mood swings and manic episodes that can be severe, dangerous, and become problematic with one’s school, career, and relationships. Bipolar II disorder is less severe than bipolar I, where instead of full-blown mania, the individual just experiences an elevated mood and minor irritability (Colom 13). Most individuals are able to carry on with their daily activities with bipolar II disorder. Cyclothymic disorder is an even more mild form of bipolar disorder. The individual may experience depression and hypomania, which can be disruptive, but are still less severe than other forms of bipolar disorder. On the manic end of the spectrum of symptoms related to bipolar disorder are euphoria, rapid speech, racing thoughts, and a shortened attention span. People who are experiencing manic symptoms tend to lack judgement and are careless with their behavior, taking actions before having time to think about potential consequences. They often make unwise financial choices, use drugs or alcohol, and engage in risky and unsafe sex. The manic highs can also cause individuals to take a break from reality, known as psychosis, which can lead to poor performance or frequent absences from school or work. The symptoms associated with the depressive phase of bipolar disorder include intense sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts or behavior. Individuals going through the depressive phase experience issues with sleeping and eating, such as getting too much or not enough, and they have difficulty with concentrating. This can also lead to absences from school or work, or lowered performances at both places. Furthermore, the depressive lows can cause individuals to have chronic pain that does not have a known cause, a loss of joy and interest in activities that they once found thrilling, and irritability that seems to come without cause. Symptoms to bipolar disorder also depend on whether or not the individual suffers from seasonal affective disorder, which is when their mood changes with the seasons. An individual can experience mania during the spring or summer, but become depressed in autumn or winter. This cycle can also be reversed depending on the individual. Rapid cycling bipolar disorder is when one’s “mood shifts more than four times in a year, as opposed to the occasional shifts of regular bipolar disorder” (Marneros & Goodwin 61). Therefore, an individual experiencing rapid cycling would experience an increase in symptoms. Psychosis, a phase when severe episodes result in a detachment from reality, include such symptoms as delusions and hallucinations. These individuals are often unaware that they are reacting in ways that may be considered bizarre to their personality and to social standards. When children and adolescents are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, they experience a different spectrum of symptoms. Younger sufferers of the disorder do not have distinct mania or depression. Instead, they have what can be equated to temper tantrums. They have an explosive temper, moods that shift rapidly and without warning, and reckless behavior. In just one day, a child can experience intense periods of silliness, followed by crying and violent outbursts of anger. In essence, they are emotionally unstable with their tempers, though they seldom experience depression. Diagnosis Bipolar disorder shares many symptoms with other mood disorders, so it becomes important to fully understand the symptoms that an individual has before diagnosing them with bipolar disorder. Due to its similarity with other disorders, doctors consider the symptoms that an individual is experiencing and compares them to symptoms of other mood disorders. If the individual shows symptoms unrelated to bipolar disorder, these other disorders are considered. To determine if the bipolar-related symptoms are indeed attached to bipolar disorder, certain criteria have to be met. Each branch of the disorder comes with its own criteria as determined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The diagnostic criteria for bipolar I disorder is that the individual has had either a manic episode or a mixed episode; a major depressive episode is not required, though they are capable of having them. In bipolar II disorder, the individual must have both a major depressive and a manic episode, but not necessarily a mixed episode. Furthermore, the episodes must prove to be difficult to maintain normal functioning on a daily basis. This criteria also holds true for cyclothymic disorder, though the individual must have also experienced numerous manic and depressive episodes. The symptoms of cyclothymic disorder must also exceed two or more years, during which the symptoms last for at least two months at a time. The diagnostic criteria also varies for the types of episodes, which are manic and hypomanic, major depressive, and mixed. Manic and hypomanic episodes involve elevated highs and must last at least one week, with symptoms ranging from a decreased need for sleep, talkativeness, and participating in activities that can be potentially painful; these episodes must be severe and cannot be the result of medication or certain medical conditions. Major depressive episodes must have symptoms that exceed a timespan of two weeks, and one symptom has to be either a depressed mood or a loss of interest in something once enjoyed. Additional symptoms can include significant weight loss or gain, insomnia, suicidal thoughts, and feelings or worthlessness. These feelings must be severe enough to interfere with daily life and cannot be a result of grieving, such as over the death of a loved one. Mixed episodes include any of the aforementioned symptoms that exceed at least a week. Given the different types of bipolar disorder, as well as their individual symptoms and lengths of time, people who are suspected of having bipolar disorder are asked to chart their moods. This gives doctors the ability to detect any patterns that may suggest manic high or depressive lows, and whether or not they are related to bipolar disorder (Grieco & Edwards 42). Psychological evaluations are implemented that combine the diagnostic criteria and the mood charts, allowing the doctors to consider all of the factors. When there is doubt about a diagnosis, even blood and urine tests are used to disregard any physical ailments that may be causing certain symptoms. When the diagnostic criteria are met in full, and all other possible mood disorders or physical diseases have been ruled out, then the individual can be properly diagnosed with an accurate bipolar assessment. Complications Bipolar disorder greatly affects the emotions and judgements of the individuals that suffer from this mood disorder. Therefore, it becomes vital to treat the symptoms before they get the better of an individual. When left untreated, bipolar disorder can lead to issues related to drug and alcohol abuse, which can lead directly into legal and financial problems (Suppes 147). During manic highs, bipolar sufferers feel risky, and they seldom consider their actions before acting on them. On the other hand, depressive episodes can incite relationship issues, causing the individual to fall into isolation. They stop caring, which causes their work and school performances to suffer, going as far as to them not showing up altogether. At the darkest point of complications from bipolar disorder is suicide. Many individuals are unable to keep up with the constant and drastic mood swings, and they often take the easy yet most devastating way out. Treatment and Prevention Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that has no cure, and therefore must be treated over the span of one’s lifetime. As there is no single treatment for bipolar disorder, symptoms are treated individually. Such treatment options include medication, therapy, and support groups. In the most drastic cases, like those that deal with suicidal or violent individuals, or people who are experiencing a detachment from reality, hospitalization is also an option. Once the individual has become calmer and more levelheaded, and are thus able to comprehend what is taking place, medication and therapy can be implemented as needed. There are a variety of medications used in the treatment of bipolar disorder. If an individual does not respond well to one type, there are many others that they can try. Mood stabilizers are among the most used medications, such as lithium, anticonvulsants, and antipsychotics. Extreme highs and lows can be treated with these medications. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications help to alleviate depressive episodes. Antidepressants have the potential side effect of creating manic episodes, but these can be harmless if the individual is also taking a mood stabilizer. Symbyax is currently the only FDA approved drug used specifically in the treatment of bipolar disorder, which acts as both an antidepressant and a mood stabilizer, making it one of the most commonly used medications for treating bipolar disorder (Quinn 236). There are also many types of therapies available to individuals who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Cognitive behavior therapy involves helping the individual pinpoint unhealthy and dangerous beliefs and behaviors and finding healthier alternatives. In cognitive therapy, a bipolar sufferer can also learn what triggers their episodes and how best they can approach them. Cognitive therapy helps individuals to gain an optimistic perspective of their disorder. Family therapy is another form of therapy, which gives families the opportunity to fully understand what their bipolar family member is experiencing so that they may become a more involved entity in their treatment. Family therapy is often used when children or adolescents have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Support groups come in the forms of group therapy and psychoeducation. Group therapy allows bipolar sufferers to learn from others that are going through similar experiences, as well as providing them with the opportunity to work on their relationship skills. Group therapy helps to instill the idea that the individual is not alone in their struggle. Psychoeducation is often undergone with others who have bipolar disorder, as well as family members, and involves teaching more about the disorder so that sufferers and family alike have all of the knowledge they need to continue their treatment and to learn how to handle their episodes. Conclusion Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes extreme shifts in one’s mood, taking them from highs to lows. Though there is no definite cause to this mood disorder, it is believed that biological, genetics, and alterations in the brain play roles in its formation. Symptoms vary based on each individual and the type of bipolar disorder they have, but most center on excessive elation and excessive depression, which can lead to an array of behavior that one may not experience if they did not have the disorder. Since the disorder can stem beyond the individual’s body, such as causing them to shirk their responsibilities in life, it is important that they are treated as quickly and as accurately as possible. Science has only come so far in treating bipolar disorder, and regardless of how intense an individual may be with their bipolar disorder, there are many options to help them regain control of their life. Works Cited Colom, Francesc. Psychoeducation Manual for Bipolar Disorder. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Print. Grieco, Robert, and Laura Edwards. The Other Depression: Bipolar Disorder. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2010. Print. Marneros, A., and Frederick K. Goodwin. Bipolar Disorders: Mixed States, Rapid Cycling, and Atypical Forms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Print. Miklowitz, David Jay, and Dante Cicchetti. Understanding Bipolar Disorder. New York: Guilford Press, 2010. Print. Quinn, Brian. Bipolar Disorder. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2007. Print. Suppes, Trisha. Bipolar Disorder: The Latest Assessment and Treatment Strategies. Kansas City, MO: Compact Clinicals, 2005. Print. Read More