Unmasking Bipolar Disorder: Shedding Light on its Prevalence

Introduction

How many people do you know that have a mental disorder? Well, 60 million people are affected by this illness. I will be talking about the disorder, symptoms, causes/cures, and the effect it has on the person dealing with this illness.

Body

Point 1 What is bipolar disorder?

• Bipolar disorder is an illness that causes huge mood swings
• You can go from feeling hopeless and depressed to feeling like you run the world
• Mood swings can affect sleep, energy, judgment, behavior, and the ability to think clearly

Point 2- symptoms

• Bipolar I is a kind of bipolar disorder. At least one manic episode has occurred, maybe preceded or followed by significant depressive episodes. Mania can sometimes lead to a disconnection from reality (psychosis).
• Bipolar II is a kind of bipolar disorder. You’ve experienced at least one severe depressive episode and at least one depressive episode but no manic episode.

Cyclothymic disorder is a kind of cyclothymia. You’ve experienced frequent times of hypomania symptoms and periods of depressed symptoms for at least two years or one year in children and teens (though less severe than major depression).

Other kinds. Bipolar and associated illnesses, for example, might be caused by particular medications or alcohol or by a medical condition such as Cushing’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, or stroke.

Both a manic and a hypomanic episode include three or more of these symptoms:

• Abnormally upbeat, jumpy, or wired;
• increased activity, energy, or agitation;
• exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria);
• decreased need for sleep;
• unusual talkativeness, Racing thoughts, Distractibility, Poor decision-making, for example, going on buying sprees.

Point 3- Causes and cures

Causes-biological distinctions Bipolar illness patients’ brains appear to be changing physically. The importance of these alterations is currently unknown, although they may eventually aid in the identification of causes.

Genetics. People with bipolar disorder are more likely to have a first-degree family with the illness, such as a sibling or parent. Researchers are looking for genes that may have a role in the development of bipolar illness.

Cures-Treatment normally lasts a lifetime and usually consists of a mix of drugs and psychotherapy. There are some medications that can be taken as well.

Conclusion

Bipolar disorder is an illness that is not talked about that much, but many people struggle with this disease.

References

1. Bowden, C., & Singh, V. (2006). Bipolar disorders: Treatment options and patient satisfaction. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 2(2), 149–153. https://doi.org/10.2147/nedt.2006.2.2.149
2. Carlson, P. J., Merlock, M. C., & Suppes, T. (2004). Adjunctive stimulant use in patients with bipolar disorder: Treatment of residual depression and sedation. Bipolar Disorders, 6(5), 416–420. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-5618.2004.00132.x
3. Dumont, C. M., Sheridan, L. M., Besancon, E. K., Blattner, M., Lopes, F., Kassem, L., & McMahon, F. J. (2020). Validity of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) as a screening tool for bipolar spectrum disorders in anabaptist populations. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 123, 159–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.01.011