| Bipolar depression is a mood disorder | | | | educate their friends, family, and co-workers |
| characterized by the alternation of | | | | on the signs of their depressive episodes. |
| depressive and manic states. The | | | | Some of the warning signs that you should |
| distinguishing characteristic of bipolar | | | | educate these people on are:* Lethargy |
| depression is the presence of at least one | | | | |
| episode of mania. It is also presumed to be a | | | | * Fatigue |
| chronic condition because most of the people | | | | |
| having manic episodes are likely to have | | | | * Insomnia |
| another episode of it in the future. Every | | | | |
| person with bipolar depression has a pattern | | | | * Lower activity levels |
| of mood cycles, combining manic episodes with | | | | |
| depression, which is unpredictable until the | | | | * Loss of interest in activities.Educating |
| path is found. Bipolar depression usually | | | | these people puts you in a position to help |
| begins during the teen or early adulthood | | | | make sure you take proper action at the start |
| years and continues throughout one`s | | | | of the episode.The intensity and frequency of |
| lifetime. It`s usually not considered a | | | | mood swings will vary from person to person. |
| psychological problem because it happens in | | | | Individuals with bipolar depression may |
| episodes, but those who have it may suffer | | | | progress to a different category of bipolar |
| for years without proper treatment.The exact | | | | depression that gets worse over time of their |
| cause of bipolar depression has not yet been | | | | illness. There are four categories of bipolar |
| determined. However, most scientists agree | | | | depression:*Bipolar I |
| that there is no single cause for being | | | | |
| bipolar. Scientists believe that stressful | | | | *Bipolar II |
| factors trigger the first episodes of mania. | | | | |
| One reason a person may be bipolar is that | | | | *Bipolar NOS |
| the condition is genetic. It appears that | | | | |
| many different genes act together in | | | | *CyclothemiaThe treatment of Bipola I |
| conjunction with a person`s surroundings | | | | disorder requires one or more mixed or manic |
| which create the symptoms associated with | | | | episodes. The previous course of the illness |
| bipolar depression. Another cause of bipolar | | | | may include depressive episodes and |
| depression could be from the differences in | | | | hypomania, but the treatment requires only |
| brain structures. MRI tests have shown that | | | | one mixed episode. Bipolar II, the most |
| those suffering from bipolar depression may | | | | common form of bipolar depression, is |
| have slightly different brain structures than | | | | characterized by episodes of disabling |
| the people who are not effected by the | | | | depression and hypomania. The diagnosis of |
| condition. There is also evidence that | | | | Bipolar II requires at least one hypomanic |
| bipolar depression may be triggered by | | | | episode. This is used primarily to change |
| environmental stresses such as the death of a | | | | from unipolar depression. A patient may be |
| loved one, the birth of a new baby, or the | | | | depressed and it is very important to find |
| loss of a job. After a stressful event, a | | | | out if the hypomania has ever caused manic |
| psychological cycle of depression and mania | | | | episodes in which the patient was in an |
| develops in the people with bipolar | | | | uncontrolable state. Bipolar depression is |
| depression.Some people do not understand that | | | | not treated the same way for everybody. Only |
| depression can cause a person to be unable to | | | | your doctor can determine the proper cure and |
| make simple life decisions. That is why it is | | | | exact classification of bipolar episode. |
| important that people with bipolar depression | | | | |