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What is Bipolar disorder?
In the past, bipolar disorder has been referred to as ‘manic depression’ – mostly with associations with episodes of mania or depression. The condition is now known as ‘bipolar disorder’, as this term more accurately describes the rapid cycling of moods that is experienced by the person between the two poles of ‘high’ or elevated mood and ‘low’ or depressed mood.
The elevated mood also referred to as mania, is a period of elevated, expansive or irritable mood wherein the individual has high energy levels and conducts inappropriate behaviours, which have the potential to cause significant problems in relationships and/or in the person’s workplace. On the other hand, the low mood indicates that the person is in one of their periods of depressive states where he or she has no motivation for anything.
What are the symptoms?
There are several types of bipolar disorder that are experienced by every age group. Clinicians differentiate between bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder with bipolar I as more severe than bipolar II.
A person with bipolar I will have extreme manic states, their behaviour quickly escalates and their mania is likely to require hospitalisation.
Bipolar II is considered more common; their manic symptoms are less severe and cause less impairment for the individual. In bipolar II these episodes are referred to as hypomania.
A manic episode can include the following symptoms:
- Feeling overly confident or extremely euphoric
- Less need for sleep
- Excessive talkativeness
- Racing thoughts and easily distracted
- Disjointed or distorted thinking
- Symptoms of psychosis such as hallucinations and delusions
- Inappropriate sexual behaviour
- Decreased ability to make sound or rational decisions
- Increased focus on goal-directed activity
- Loss of interest in things they usually enjoy
In a depressive state the person with bipolar will experience the opposite of mania:
- Low, sad or pessimistic mood
- Difficulty making decisions
- Uninterested in performing everyday tasks
- Uninterested in activities they once found pleasurable
- Disruptive sleep
- Loss of appetite and sex drive
- Recurrent thought of death and suicide
What causes Bipolar disorder?
Bipolar affects 0.6 (bipolar I) and 0.8 per cent (bipolar II) of the population at some time in their lives (APA 2013). Onset is usually before the age of 30 years but can occur at any time. The most common pattern involves repeated episodes of mania or depression, usually followed by a period of remission.
Several factors may contribute to a person developing bipolar disorder such as genetics or hormonal problems. Environmental factors such as abuse, trauma, mental stress, significant loss or substance misuse can trigger bipolar disorder.
Treatment of Bipolar
It is important for people experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder to consult a mental health professional for a proper diagnosis that can determine what type of treatment is required. A diagnosis involves systematic interviews alongside ruling out other behavioural and mental health conditions. For children to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, they must experience constant or periodical extreme mood changes on most days for at least 6 months.
Typically, bipolar is treated with a combination of three different types of medication; a mood-stabilizing drug, antipsychotics and anti-depressants. The person needs to be diagnosed by a psychiatrist and usually continues to receive medications through their GP. Psychotherapy is highly recommended.
How to help your loved one
Often, we have a strong desire to ‘fix’ or ‘solve’ someone else’s problem, however, this is not your role and should be left to a professional. The best thing you can do is to help them find an appropriate service through a GP, mental health phone line, mental health service or by searching online for support services for bipolar disorder in Australia.
The best way to help someone experiencing a mental health challenge is to get them the professional medical help they require so they can be assigned an appropriate treatment plan. At Helping Minds, we can help you find information about appropriate treatment plans for people with bipolar disorder and connect you to support groups of people with lived experiences.
How do I find out more?
It is important to ask your doctor about any concerns you have. SANE Australia also produces a range of easy-to-read publications and multimedia resources on mental health challenges.
