It’s a serious mental illness with mood swings that can be super high or super low. Yep, doctors can treat it, and they’re the ones who figure out if you have it. No need for fancy lab tests or scans. It can stick around for years or even your whole life. People between 18 and 35 often deal with it both male and female. If others in your family had it, you might be more likely to have it too. This disorder can seriously affect things about you like your relationship, dating and family life. The earlier you identify it, the better.
What Is Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, once known as manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. You can go from feeling very sad and uninterested in things (depression) to feeling super happy and full of energy or very irritable (mania or hypomania). It’s like being on an emotional rollercoaster.
What Causes Bipolar Disorder?
Things that can make it more likely for someone to get bipolar disorder or have their first episode include:
- Family Connection: If a parent or brother/sister has bipolar disorder, it can raise the risk.
- Stressful Times: Going through tough stuff like losing someone you love or a really hard event can play a role.
- Substance Use: Using drugs or alcohol can also be a trigger.
Types Of Bipolar Disorder
- Bipolar I: This is when someone has at least one super high (manic) episode, which can be before or after times of feeling really down (depressive episodes).
- Bipolar II: In this type, you’ll see at least one major low (depressive) episode and a high (hypomanic) episode, but not a full-blown manic one.
- Cyclothymic Disorder: Here, a person has lots of ups (hypomania) and downs (depression) throughout the year, but they’re not as extreme as in the other types.
- Other Types: This group includes bipolar disorder that’s triggered by stuff like drugs, alcohol, or other health conditions.
Signs and Symptoms
Bipolar Symptoms: People with bipolar disorders have mood swings that can last for a while. Sometimes, they feel super happy and excited (mania) or really down (depression). In between, they might feel just fine.
Manic Phase:
During the manic phase, folks might feel extremely happy and full of energy. They can get really irritable, have trouble focusing, and make unrealistic plans. They might not need much sleep, have a high sex drive, or even feel paranoid.
Depressive Phase: In the depressive phase, it’s the opposite. They can feel very sad, lose interest in things they used to enjoy, and have trouble making decisions. Sleep and appetite can change, and they might even have thoughts of hurting themselves.
It’s like a rollercoaster of moods, and it can last for weeks, months, or even years.
Treatments And Medication
Bipolar disorder sticks around for life. But treatments, like talking to a therapist and taking medicine, help manage the symptoms.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Even though folks with bipolar disorder have big mood swings, sometimes they don’t realize how much it messes up their lives and the lives of those they care about. They might not seek the help they need.
And for some, those super happy moments can feel great and make them super productive. But those highs always lead to a big low, leaving them feeling really down afterwards. Its important that you take a bipolar test if you have any of these symptoms.
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