causes of bipolar disorder

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Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Bipolar disorder affects the brain and results in severe functional changes to an individual, namely extreme shifts in mood, energy and the ability of the individual to function normally. The results can often be drastic and case great confusion among those acquainted with the individual affected by bipolar disorder. It usually appears in early adulthood but can also be present in some children and older adults.

The range of emotion that an individual can manifest is a depressed state where the individual is extremely affected by minor things or a giddy mania where the affected person is so happy as to be almost manic. It should be noted that the individual can also have a normal state where he is neither extremely depressed of maniacally happy. The individual?s normal state is not always disrupted by the disorder so most of the time those who suffer from this disorder are normal.

Misunderstanding Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is an illness that is not usually diagnosed correctly. Sometimes adolescents are often called rebels or believed to be going through some type of teenage angst when they manifest signs of bipolar disorder. The symptoms of bipolar disorder are very common in teenagers and can be misunderstood as just another phase. Parents need to be vigilant and observant regarding their child to be able to fully understand and accept that they are indeed suffering from it. Some parents are themselves ashamed to admit or accept that their children may be suffering from the disorder.

Causes of Bipolar Disorder

Many factors correlate with each in causing bipolar disorder. There is no one factor that causes it instead it is an accumulation of factors that are present in one person. Genes are one of the factors that make a person a probable candidate for bipolar disorder. This does not mean, though, that those with it will develop bipolar disorder. Other factors are needed to develop it. These factors are what the researchers and studies are trying to figure out. Ongoing studies and research regarding the disorder may give out recent results regarding medication for the illness.

Bipolar disorder is usually treated with medication and drugs. There is no other effective alternative method to treating this illness. The medication given to individuals who suffer from this disorder is a mood stabilizer medication that helps to prevent manic and depressive episodes. Anti-depressants are not widely accepted as good medication for those suffering from bipolar disorder because many studies have shown that these could make the individual?s state of mind worse than it already is.