| Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a | | | | Treatment for Bipolar Disorder |
| diagnostic category describing a class of mood | | | | Currently bipolar disorder cannot be cured but it can be |
| disorders where the person experiences states or | | | | managed. The emphasis of treatment is on effective |
| episodes of depression and/or mania, hypomania, and | | | | management of the long-term course of the illness, |
| or mixed states. Left untreated, it is a severely | | | | which can involve treatment of emergent symptoms. |
| disabling psychiatric condition. | | | | Treatment methods include pharmacological and |
| The difference between bipolar disorder and major | | | | psychological techniques. |
| depression is that bipolar disorder involves "energized" | | | | A variety of medications are used to treat bipolar |
| or "activated" mood states in addition to depressed | | | | disorder. Most people with bipolar disorder require |
| mood states. The duration and intensity of mood | | | | combinations of medications. |
| states varies widely among people with the illness. | | | | Relapse of Bipolar Disorder |
| Fluctuating from one mood state to another is called | | | | Even when on medication, some people may still |
| "cycling" or having mood swings. Mood swings cause | | | | experience weaker episodes or have a complete |
| impairment not only in one's mood, but also in one's | | | | manic or depressive episode. The following behaviors |
| energy level, sleep pattern, activity level, social rhythms | | | | can lead to depressive or manic relapse: |
| and thinking abilities. Many people become fully disabled, | | | | * Discontinuing or lowering one's dose of medication |
| for some period of time, after being diagnosed, and | | | | without consulting one's physician. |
| during this time may have great difficulty functioning. | | | | * Being under or over medicated. Generally, taking a |
| The vast majority of people diagnosed with suffer | | | | lower dosage of a mood stabilizer can lead to relapse |
| from depression. In fact, there is at least a 3 to 1 ratio | | | | into mania. Taking a lower dosage of an |
| of time spent depressed versus time spent in a normal | | | | antidepressant, may cause the patient to relapse into |
| mood or hypomanic or manic during the course of the | | | | depression, while higher doses can cause |
| bipolar I subtype of the illness. People with the bipolar II | | | | destabilization into mixed-states or mania. |
| subtype remain depressed for substantially longer. Up | | | | * Taking other psychotropic or recreational drugs such |
| to 37 times longer than bipolar I. | | | | as marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. These can cause the |
| A 2003 study by Robert Hirschfeld, M.D., of the | | | | condition to worsen. |
| University of Texas, Galveston found bipolar patients | | | | * An inconsistent sleep schedule can destabilize the |
| fared worse in their depressions than unipolar patients. | | | | illness. Too much sleep can lead to depression, while |
| In terms of disability, lost years of productivity and | | | | too little sleep can lead to mixed states or mania. |
| potential for suicide, bipolar depression is now | | | | * Excessive amounts of caffeine can cause |
| recognized as the most insidious aspect of the illness. | | | | destabilization of mood toward irritability, dysphoria and |
| Severe depression may be accompanied by | | | | mania. |
| symptoms of psychosis. These symptoms include | | | | * Inadequate stress management and poor lifestyle |
| hallucinations and delusions. They may also suffer from | | | | choices. If unmedicated, excessive stress can cause |
| paranoid thoughts of being persecuted or monitored by | | | | the individual to relapse. Medication raises the stress |
| some powerful entity such as the government or a | | | | threshold somewhat, but too much stress still causes |
| hostile force. | | | | relapse. |
| Intense and unusual religious beliefs may also be | | | | Disclaimer |
| present, such as patients' strong insistence that they | | | | The information presented here should not be |
| have a God-given role to play in the world, a great and | | | | interpreted as medical advice. If you or someone you |
| historic mission to accomplish, or even that they | | | | know is suffers from a bipolar disorder, please seek |
| possess supernatural powers. Delusions in a | | | | professional medical advice for the latest treatment |
| depression may be far more distressing, sometimes | | | | options. |
| taking the form of intense guilt for supposed wrongs | | | | Permission is granted to reprint this article as long as |
| that the patient believes he or she has inflicted on | | | | no changes are made, and the entire resource box is |
| others. | | | | included. |