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You May be Wondering: What is Bipolar Disorder?

November 14th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

While most people have heard about manic depression, which is also known as bipolar disorder, you may be wondering what is bipolar disorder. You may also wonder what it is like to live with this mental illness that is caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain that causes severe mood swings. These mood swings can vary from severe depression to wild mania. It is believed that approximately 2 million people in the United States are affected by this disorder, but this figure is probably way off because many people go undiagnosed for various reasons.

What ss Bipolar Disorder and its Symptoms?

There are 2 main phases of bipolar that you need to know about in order to understand what is bipolar disorder. First there is the depression phase that is characterized by feelings of sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, guilt, worthlessness and helplessness. These feelings can cause you to lose interest in your hobbies and activities, have decreased energy and feel exhausted all of the time. Of course, this can also cause you to have difficulty concentrating, remembering and making decisions. In very severe cases, thoughts of death and even suicide attempts may occur.

Secondly, there is the manic phase, which is characterized by excessive elation wherein you feel as though you are on top of the world and even invincible. You may also become unusually irritable, find that you do not need as much sleep, talk more, have racing thoughts, more desire for sex, make poor judgments and act inappropriately in social settings.

What is Bipolar Disorder and How do You Live with it?

It can be very difficult to live with bipolar disorder. While many people will try to tell you “snap out of it,” they simply do not really understand what is bipolar disorder. These people do not understand that bipolar disorder is an illness that must be treated and accepted. It is not anyone’s fault and the added judgment and stigma that society adds on to this illness only makes it all that much more difficult to live with it. Many people simply do not understand what is bipolar disorder and the 2 phases that it has. In the depression phase many people find that it is nearly impossible to get out of bed and if you can get out of bed you may find that you are unable to do anything productive until you begin to move into the manic phase. Once you do move into the manic phase you will find that you are not only extremely productive, but that you are also impulsive, reckless, irresponsible and dangerous. Therefore, people really do need to learn and understand what is bipolar disorder so that they can be more accepting of those who do suffer from this illness.

We certainly hope you’ve found this information useful. Please make sure and check back often as new information is always being added.

Copyright 2007 www.bipolar-health.com. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@bipolar-health.com so we can take legal action immediately.

Tags: bipolar disease, bipolar symptoms, what is bipolar disorder, bipolar disorder, bipolar depression

What is Bipolar, and How Well do we Understand it?

November 12th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

The question “What is bipolar?” would probably stump most people. When you break the word bipolar down into its two basic parts, it becomes clearer. “Bi” means two, and polar means opposite – as in the saying “they are polar opposites of each other.” So the question “What is bipolar?” can be answered very basically by saying that a person who is bipolar experiences two opposite states of mind. Let’s look at this in more detail. The two opposing states of mind are as opposite as you can get. The first presents itself in occasions of mania. The person may be on a high, to a far higher degree than most of us would experience. The second presents itself as depression, the symptoms of which are better known to the majority of us.

What is Bipolar, and Can You Live With It?

People who have bipolar disorder have an affliction that will be with them for the rest of their lives. It cannot currently be cured, but it can certainly be well managed and many sufferers lead relatively normal lives. The key is to find the right combination of medication in each case, and to make adjustments to everyday life that will enable the sufferer to better cope with life in general.

What is Bipolar, and are There Varying Degrees of Severity?

Unfortunately the answer is yes. Just as some people are able to control their bipolar symptoms relatively well for most of the time, others will find each and every day hard going. The mood swings can be so severe that there is no such thing as a normal day for a bipolar sufferer. Some medications can cause side effects in some patients, and this can make their day to day life harder to get through.

What is Bipolar, and is it Hard for Relatives to Live With as Well?

Just as bipolar disorder affects the sufferer, it profoundly affects the other close relationships in their life as well. Learning to understand and live with the condition is arguably just as important for them. The real aim of any treatment of bipolar disorders is in essence to bring the two extremes of behaviour closer together, so each one is much less extreme and more within the so called normal boundaries that most of us are used to. This isn’t always possible, however, and that’s when understanding of this condition and its effects on everyone who comes into contact with it can pay huge dividends.

We certainly hope you’ve found this information useful. Please make sure and check back often as new information is always being added.

Copyright 2007 www.bipolar-health.com. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@bipolar-health.com so we can take legal action immediately.

Tags: bipolar disease, bipolar disorder, what is bipolar, bipolar depression, bipolar symptoms

Use Of Hypnotherapy In Bipolar Disorder Not Crazy

November 10th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Any effectiveness of the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder depends on the attitude of the bipolar patient. If the patient is absolutely convinced that they cannot go into a hypnotic trance, then don’t waste your time sending them to a hypnotherapist. No one can be hypnotized to do anything they don’t want to — including being hypnotized. But if the patient is regularly taking any prescribed medication and is open to doing anything to help manage his or her condition, then the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder is warranted.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder even has a famous pop song written about it – Manic Depression by Jimi Hendrix. The term “manic depression” has since fallen out of favor and is now called bipolar disorder or bipolar depression. It is a very nasty and potentially dangerous form of depression that will not get better on its own. Anyone suffering from bipolar disorder needs treatment immediately. They are a danger to others, but mostly a danger to themselves.

The most famous sufferer of bipolar disorder was the late great comedic genius Spike Milligan. He would swing from a high where he could produce scripts at lightning rate and felt invincible to crashing to such depths he tried to kill himself and anyone around him. It is not known if he ever tried the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder. His autobiography, co-written with his psychiatrist, suggests otherwise.

How Hypnotherapy Helps

Unfortunately, medicine alone does not “cure” any kind of depression, let alone bipolar disorder. There also needs to be some sort of cognitive behavioral therapy – a sort of reprogramming of the mental chatter we all do in our heads. This is the best use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder. When the patient recognizes symptoms or feels suicidal – or even invincible – their minds can automatically remind them of suggestions planted in them during hypnotic trance. “This, too, shall pass,” might be a suggestion. Although it is possible for anyone to learn self-hypnosis, it is recommended that the best use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder be with a professional licensed hypnotherapist. They also can recognize if the patient might be a poor candidate for hypnotherapy, even if the patient is all for trying. If the patient develops an abnormal reliance on the hypnotherapist, it is definitely time to stop hypnotherapy. So, the jury is still out on the effectiveness of the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder patients. But bipolar disorder is such a mystery that any avenue of treatment should be persued.

We certainly hope you’ve found this information useful. Please make sure and check back often as new information is always being added.

Copyright 2007 www.bipolar-health.com. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@bipolar-health.com so we can take legal action immediately.

Tags: bipolar depression, bipolar disorder, use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder, bipolar disease, bipolar symptoms

Recognizing the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

November 8th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

We all experience highs and lows during our life. We react to daily events that may make us feel happy, sad or indifferent. Occasionally events happen which lead us to experience extremes of emotion – think about events such as weddings, funerals and the births of our children, for example. For someone experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder, these kinds of feelings are magnified in a severe way, and on an everyday basis. You may have heard of this condition under its better known name of manic depression, so called because it is comprised of periods of mania and depression which alternate with each other. Sufferers may have episodes of crushing depression, which affect their whole life. These are interspersed with the big highs, where they will feel elated and happy to be alive, filled with desires, longings, plans and many other thoughts and ideas which occur to them during this phase. The symptoms of bipolar disorder vary from person to person, depending on how severe the condition is in each patient. A doctor can prescribe medication to help reduce the symptoms of bipolar disorder in patients. Treatments are aimed at lessening the symptoms of bipolar disorder, in order to allow the sufferer to lead as normal a life as possible.

Treating the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

It is important to remember that treatments for depression and mania take some time to begin working. Medication should be taken at the specified time every day, and continue to be taken until and unless a doctor informs the patient otherwise. As the medication begins to build up in the sufferer’s system, the extremes of mood that are classic symptoms of bipolar disorder should begin to even out, and become less noticeable to others.

It is important to understand and recognise the symptoms of bipolar disorder. This applies equally whether you suffer from the condition yourself, or you know a family member, friend or work colleague who does. If someone you know suffers from this illness, it can help to recognise any changes in their normal mood or behaviour early on, as it may affect their ongoing treatment. It is perfectly possible to manage a normal everyday life if you experience the symptoms of bipolar disorder, so long as you take your medication regularly and stay alert to how you are feeling. Recognizing any changes in your behavior is the first step towards managing your symptoms successfully, and for the long term.

We certainly hope you’ve found this information useful. Please make sure and check back often as new information is always being added.

Copyright 2007 www.bipolar-health.com. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@bipolar-health.com so we can take legal action immediately.

Tags: bipolar disorder, bipolar depression, bipolar symptoms, bipolar disease, symptoms of bipolar disorder

Not Child’s Play: Supporting Children with Pediatric Bipolar Disorder

November 6th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Bipolar disorder does not only affect adults, it plagues thousands of teenagers and children as well. Children with pediatric disorder display symptoms distinctly different than those that adults show, and they are frequently misdiagnosed several times before pediatric bipolar disorder is finally recognized. Conditions such as these make life very difficult for children, especially when it comes to attending school. However, by better understanding pediatric bipolar disorder, parents and teachers alike can make educating children with this illness easier, both on themselves and the child.

Symptoms and Misdiagnosis of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder

Children with pediatric bipolar disorder display symptoms that are different from form of this condition seen in adults. Children often experience rapid or mixed cycling. Rapid cycling is when the cycles between mania and depression occur very quickly. Mixed cycling occurs when both depression and mania are observed at the same time.

Oftentimes, other conditions are misdiagnosed as being pediatric bipolar disorder. When this happens, it prevents a child from getting the help they need to manage their condition. Misdiagnosis commonly occurs in children who have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), depression, schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Meeting Their Educational Needs

A child with pediatric bipolar disorder is often more needy in terms of education. Most schools and educational facilities can be accommodating in these circumstances. One of the first things that the parents of a child with pediatric bipolar disorder should do is contact their school’s special education department. They will be able to create an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for the child and describe what service might be available to the child. Schools frequently make many accommodations for children with pediatric bipolar disorder. Some provide a special education aid, or a tutor for when the child is absent for an extended period of time. Other schools will lighten the homework load, or allow the child to have extended time on tests. It is up to the parent to ask about these services; if they don’t ask, then they won’t know what is available!

Unfortunate Conditions

It is terrible when a child is diagnosed with pediatric bipolar disorder. This means that he or she will be forced to manage and control the condition for the rest of their life. It is important that they learn to take advantage of all the opportunities, educational and otherwise, that are offered to them. How else will they be able to succeed?

We certainly hope you’ve found this information useful. Please make sure and check back often as new information is always being added.

Copyright 2007 www.bipolar-health.com. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@bipolar-health.com so we can take legal action immediately.

Tags: bipolar disorder, pediatric bipolar, bipolar disease, bipolar symptoms, bipolar depression

Information on Bipolar Disorders

November 4th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Bipolar disorder is a very serious and commonly experienced condition. There is a lot of important information on bipolar disorders that is critical to know, especially if you or someone close to you suffers from the disorder.

Important Information on Bipolar Disorders

When it comes to important information on bipolar disorders, one of the first things to learn is the basics of the disorder. Bipolar disorder is considered as being a major affective disorder, one in which an individual goes through ever-changing moods of extreme elation and deep depression. They can go from feeling ecstatically happy one moment to suicidal the next and the moods can change so quickly that it can often be hard to keep up.

One of the most important pieces of information on bipolar disease involves the fact that there are two separate classifications of the disorder: bipolar 1 disorder and bipolar 2 disorder, the first being the ‘classic’ form of the illness, involving recurrent episodes of mania and depression, and the latter involving milder episodes of hypomania that alternate with depression. Another of the most important pieces of information on bipolar disorder involves the signs and symptoms of the condition. Although there are numerous different symptoms that you may experience from this disorder, there are some that are especially common, including: increased energy, extreme irritability, racing thoughts, poor judgment, increased sexual drive, and denial that anything is wrong.

Treatment

Treatment is crucial to learn about, especially if you or someone you know suffers from the bipolar condition, because it can be very dangerous, and even potentially life threatening if left untreated. Fortunately, most people with this disorder are able to achieve at least substantial stabilization of their mood swings and related symptoms with proper treatment. However, it is important to realize that because bipolar disorder is a recurrent illness, long-term preventive treatment is going to be required. This means that there is no method of treatment available for the condition that can just be used for a temporary length of time and then ceased. Rather, you will need to continue the treatment for the rest of your life in order to maintain successful control over the disorder and its affect on you and your life. Besides that, studies have shown that in most cases, bipolar disorder is much better controlled if the treatment used is continuous, rather than on and off. In addition to this, keeping a chart of your daily mood symptoms, treatments, sleep patterns, life events and so on will be incredibly helpful towards your success, because it can help you to better understand your illness and as well help your doctor to better track and treat your illness.

We certainly hope you’ve found this information useful. Please make sure and check back often as new information is always being added.

Copyright 2007 www.bipolar-health.com. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@bipolar-health.com so we can take legal action immediately.

Tags: bipolar depression, bipolar disorder, bipolar disease, bipolar symptoms, information on bipolar

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