Bipolar Disorder Is More Than Just Mood Swings

During the course of our lives, we all experience ups and downs. Some days we feel happy and care-free, while on other days we just can't shake the blues. While we may find these mood changes bothersome, they do not disrupt our lives.

In some people, more specifically those diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, mood changes are so drastic and severe that those suffering from the disorder often cannot function in the normal world. Once called Manic Depressive Disorder, the disease responsible for these drastic mood swings is now called Bipolar Disorder.

Those suffering from the disorder will fall into one of four subcategories of the disease. These subgroups include Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymic Disorder and Bipolar NOS.

In order for a patient to be classified as Bipolar I, they must have experienced at least one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes. During a manic episode patients will experience an extremely elated or euphoric mood. Along with an elated mood, the patients will usually also have increase mental or physical abilities. They also require little sleep during these episodes.

That sounds great, right? So what's the problem? While the manic episodes can bring on an elated mood, those suffering a manic episode may also be suspicious or irritated, have a low attention span or be easily distracted. Worst yet, a deep depression can sometimes follow one of these elated periods.

During these periods of depression, the patient may feel unable to even get out of bed each day. These individuals may also suffer what is called a mixed episode. This is defined as a period of time when symptoms of mania and clinical depression can occur at the same time. Bipolar individuals are often most dangerous, sometimes to others but mostly to them
Depression


selves, during this state as their moods are in constant flux and easily changed.

Of all four subcategories of Bipolar Disorder, more people are diagnosed with Bipolar II. In order to be diagnosed as suffering from Bipolar II, the patient must have suffered at least one hypomanic phase and one depressive phase. A hypomanic phase is similar to a manic phase, but is generally not as debilitating or destructive as the manic phase can be.

The third subgroup of Bipolar Disorder is the Cyclothymic Disorder. Bipolars in this subgroup often show signs of mood cycling from hypomania to depression but those around them usually accept the mood swings as a personality trait instead of a disorder. Also, the periods of depression do not meet all the criteria of a major depressive episode.

The fourth subcategory of this disorder is Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (NOS). This subgroup generally contains those who are suffering from some type of Bipolar Disorder, but do not fall into any of the above subcategories.

Bipolar Disorder is a disease of variations in mood. It can wreak havoc on the lives of those suffering with it and also those who must try to live and work with these people. There is help for those diagnosed with any form of Bipolar Disorder. Don't give up hope.



Riley Hendersen

About Bipolar II Disorder

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depressive disorder. It is a mental illness that presents itself as mood swings or mood cycling. Many people do not realize that there are actually two types of bipolar disorder. Bipolar I disorder is typically defined as raging mood cycling with episodes of extreme mania and depression, as well as the occasional mixed episode. Bipolar I patients may also experience psychotic or hallucinating symptoms.

Bipolar II disorder is typically defined as rapid mood cycling with episodes of hypomania and depression. Bipolar II disorder does not occur with psychotic or hallucinating symptoms. Additionally, hypomania is defined as a milder form of mania, in which the patient has a period of hightened happiness or elation. Depression with bipolar II patients is often more severe than in patients with bipolar I disorder. Suicide, suicide threats, suicide attempts, and thoughts of suicide are much more common in bipolar II patients than bipolar I patients.

A diagnosis of bipolar II disorder is typically made when the patient has had one or more major depressive episodes, at least one hypomania episode, no manic episodes, and when no other reason for symptoms can be found.

Symptoms of depression with bipolar II disorder include decreased energy, unexplained weight changes, feelings of despair, increased irritability, and uncontrollable crying. Symptoms of hypomania include sleeplessness, racing thoughts, distractibility, excess energy, and rash judgements. These symptoms are similar to mania, but are less severe.

Treatment of bipolar II disorder typically involves a combination of medication and therapy or counseling. Medications typically prescribed for treatment of bipolar II disorder include anti-depressants such as Celexa, as well as mood stabilizers such as Topomax. Mood stabilizers are vitally important in treatment of bipolar disorders, because antidepressants alone can cause the patient to enter into a manic or hypomania episode.

Bipolar II disorder is actually often misdiagnosed as clinical depression. This is due to the fact that depression is most often present, and hypomania episodes rarely come to light in therapy sessions due to their upbeat nature. It is typically through treatment by antidepressants that the correct diagnosis is made, because the patient will spin into a hypomania episode almost immediately if the diagnosis should be bipolar II disorder rather than clinical depression.

Counseling or therapy treatment options for bipolar II disorder may include traditional counseling methods, discussion of triggers and life style changes that can lessen the severity of episodes, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Patients with a mild case of bipolar II disorder may benefit from counseling or therapy alone without medication. However, this is less common with bipolar II disorder than with bipolar I disorder, due to the nature of the severity of the depressive states.

It is vitally important for people with symptoms of bipolar II disorder to seek the help of mental health professionals as soon as symptoms become evident. Bipolar II disorder patients account for at least half of the suicides each year. To prevent suicidal behavior, it is important for bipolar II patients to be properly diagnosed at an early stage, so that ongoing treatment of the illness can begin and be continued in order to avoid suicidal behavior.



Li Ming Wong


jazz beat created by DJ Bipolar

Is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Curable?

 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is when you fear that you may have forgotten to attend to something or do something. You constantly check over and over small things, such as locking a door, keeping some object some where and so on. It is a repetitive behavioral pattern and you worry repeatedly over some trivial matter.

 

As an ex-sufferer I know how it is like to be a victim of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. This is such a dreadful situation that you sometime feel like committing suicide. Actually speaking Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is a real pain and how ever much you try to get rid of it, you easily come back to the old pattern within no time.

 

Though I cannot remember when I got Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD, I know how hard I have being trying to cure it from the age of 12 or 13 years. I used will power and told myself that I will stop this nonsense now! And I used to some how control this behavioral pattern for maxi
Panic and anxiety attacks, OCD, Agoraphobia and PTSD Cured


mum 2-3 days..Bang...I come back to the old patterns without even realizing it. This trying to cure Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD and coming back again to old patterns went on until I was 39-40 years old. You see for more than 3 decades of my precious life.

 

And can you imagine how much I have suffered because of this dreaded behavioral pattern and how much happiness I have lost during these repeated patterns. I could not even sleep some nights, re-thinking every scene that was experienced by me that day.

 

Research in this field has shown that there are no particular reasons for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD and it is a situation where the communication between the frontal part and the base is obstructed. Insufficient levels of brain chemical "Serotonin", which is responsible for the communication process is a major factor.

 

The prescription of drugs that improve the brain serotonin levels are said to reduce symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. Other treatment includes "Behavioral Therapy" that helps you to unlearn the pattern you have been repeating with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD.

 

"Amoryn" a natural supplement claims to help Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD patients to feel calm and have a positive outlook. This has helped some patients to control symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD.

 

Above therapy is effective to some extent but the patient has a tendency to return back to their old patterns after some time.

 

My experience was rather with Technology than therapy or medication. I mainly used Brainwave Technology and methods. I used to listen to Brainwave CD's for 30 minutes a day for about 1- 1 1/2 months and suddenly I became so calm and about 75% of my mental chatter and unnecessary worrying ceased to exist one fine day.

 

What brainwave technology does is it brings your brainwaves to "alpha" levels effortlessly and alpha is a very relaxed and clam brain frequency. Even though some people may be able to meditate and calm their minds its not that easy for the majority of us.

 

Any one who had tried to meditate may know the difficulty in keeping your mind focused on an object. But the brainwave CD's does this effectively and effortlessly. And within a shortest possible time.

 

The latest cutting edge technology in the brainwave entrainment industry, which is known as 3P-D.E.A.P (3 Point Dynamic Entrainment Audio Process) makes the difference in all the brainwave entrainment technology out there.

 

What the brainwave CD's did to me was that all of a sudden I had dropped the repeated behavioral patterns even without my knowledge. And up to this date it had never returned back.

 

With regards to my own experience of being an acute sufferer, I conclude that, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is definitely curable with the right techniques’ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is definitely curable with the right techniques.



Sudath Wijesooriya

Tests for Determining if a Person Has Bipolar Disorder

It's important to rule out secondary causes of insomnia for they might interfere with proper treatment and diagnoses. Learn more about insomnia and sleep disorders from our medical expert in this free video. Expert: Taylor Smith Bio: Taylor Smith, CMA, is a multifaceted Certified Medical Assistant. Filmmaker: Doug Craig


 

In order to live a normal life, it is important for a person to have good physical health. However, you should also consider that your mental health is also important. The brain is what controls everything you do in your daily life. It controls your speech, it controls your motor skills and it also controls your emotions. Although you are the person who decides whether you are in a bad mood or in a good mood, there are some people with mental disorder that cannot control their emotions.

This kind of disorder is called bipolar disorder or commonly called as manic-depressive illness. Many people call this manic-depressive illness because a person suffering from this kind of disorder cannot control their emotions or their mood. You will notice that a person suffering from bipolar disorder have constant mood swings. In one moment, you will see that they are happy and the next minute they will get depressed at no reason at all.

Bipolar disorder is a serious condition that can affect the daily activities of those affected. Since they constantly change their mood, they will have trouble with their relationships as well as their performance in school or at work. You have to consider that a lot of marriages and friendship, as well as school grades and jobs have been lost due to bipolar disorder.

This is why you should be aware of this serious problem as it can affect the way a person live their lives negatively. There are some cases that bipolar disorder sufferers have come to the point of attempting to commit suicide. The depressive phase of the disorder makes them feel useless and let them think that they are useless and should no longer exist. With this kind of thought, it will result in thinking about death and suicide and in some cases, some people who suffers from bipolar disorder commits suicide.

You will also notice that in the manic phase, the person suffering from bipolar disorder is extremely active. They are excessively optimistic, they feel euphoria, and they also feel that they can do anything. During this phase, the person will also talk a lot and talk fast, they also have increased energy, and increased sex drive.

However, during the manic phase of the bipolar disorder, the person has too much in his or her mind that they are unable to concentrate. They usually jump from one idea to another and refuse to admit that something is wrong. This is why bipolar disorder should be treated. It is a condition that can endanger the life of the sufferer and also the people around him or her.

In order to get an effective treatment for bipolar disorder, it is important that it should be detected early on. Usually, the first signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder occur during late adolescent years to early adulthood. However, there are some cases where bipolar disorder signs and symptoms occur during childhood and later in life.

In order to determine if a person has bipolar disorder, the psychiatrist will perform several tests on the patient. You have to consider that bipolar disorder cannot be detected on CAT scans or X-Rays. The only way to determine if you have a bipolar disorder is by visiting a psychiatrist. He or she will let you answer some questions about your manic and depressive moods. The test will consist of several questions, such as "I feel powerful and I feel that I can do anything", "I feel very energetic", "I don’t need to sleep", and others in the manic phase. In the depressive phase, questions will be "I am really sad most of the time", "I'm always tired but I find it hard to get out of bed", "I feel restless" and others.

Both of manic and depressive phases will cause problems in relationships and at work or school. This is why it is important that if you notice that you are having problems with your emotions, you should visit your psychiatrist immediately. The psychiatrist will be able to perform a series of tests to determine if you have a bipolar disorder and what kind of bipolar disorder you have.

Bipolar disorder cannot be cured. However, this particular brain disorder can be treated. You have to consider that this is a long term illness that will require long term treatment. With patience, you will be able to live a more normal and productive life.



Clive Harman

Powered by Drupal, an open source content management system