Bipolar disorder – causes and symptoms. What is the treatment of bipolar disorder? [WE EXPLAIN]

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Bipolar disorder (bipolar disorder, bipolar disorder), formerly known as manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings, including emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). What is bipolar disorder? What are the causes of bipolar disorder? Can Bipolar Disorder Be Cured?

Sleep turns into a nightmare, and helplessness paralyzes the legs. Worse still, when the alarm clock rings, it turns out that it’s the middle of November, six in the morning, it’s snowing and raining outside, it’s going to be a terrible day at work, and the payment card is almost gone, like an unused organ. In a word – overwhelming hopelessness.

This pattern includes bipolar disorder (also known as bipolar disorder, manic-depressive disorder or cyclophrenia), or bipolar disorder for short, characterized by recurrent episodes of depression and mania. The frequency and form of episodes depends largely on the individual case, but there are two main types of disorder.

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Bipolar disorder (bipolar disorder) – types

There are two types of bipolarity:

1. type I, with depression and mania,
2. type II, consisting of periods of depression and hypomania, that is, less severe mania.

A special subtype is the so-called rapid cycling, an exceptionally hard and difficult to treat case, it is based on frequent sequences of episodes of depression and mania. To talk about it, the doctor must diagnose at least four episodes of the disease a year; it happens that depression and mania morph smoothly into each other.

Type III is caused by the strong influence of antidepressants, leading to a manic obsession. Type III and half-mania or hypomania are closely related to the abuse of alcohol and other drugs.

Seasonal affective disease, in which depression most often manifests itself in the autumn and winter period, and mania or hypomania in the spring and summer period. Cyclothymia is a chronic condition. The “soft” spectrum of bipolar disorder, which is characterized by some features of bipolar disorder in the appropriate severity. Finally, unipolar mania, which is a rare form, has relapsing manic states in this disease that are not accompanied by depression.

The incidence of suicide in the course of bipolar disorder is controversial. One study found that it was associated with this disorder the percentage of suicide attempts is extremely high, on the other hand, that it is not significantly different from the number of cases of taking one’s life in “ordinary” depression, called unipolar disorder to distinguish it.

You can make an e-meeting with a psychiatrist today. The visit will take place at the time chosen by the patient.

Social factors can have a positive impact on the course of the disease, if we have, for example, a good relationship with a loved one or a successful relationship. The environmental factor is also an important factor in patients with bipolar disorder. When the patient has a stable rhythm of the day, sleeps, is physically active and has time to rest, his mood remains normal.

In order to diagnose bipolar disorder, biological circumstances are taken into account, such as various neurological disorders in the brain or hypothyroidism, which may contribute to the development of bipolar disorder.

Make an appointment today for diagnostic tests to check whether the disturbing symptoms are related to thyroid disease.

Genetics is also an important stimulus, people with family history of bipolar disorder or depression are more likely to develop the disease.. The risk is as high as 75% if both the father and the mother had the disease.

It makes no sense to look to blame (although patients often blame everyone else). It is not the parents’ fault that the son / daughter has a given gene structure, no one has any influence on it, no one is able to predict what configuration may occur.

Although there are currently a number of genetic studies carried out around the world regarding the inheritance of bipolar disorder, we are still not 100% sure that bipolar disorder will not occur. This research may contribute to the possibility of diagnosing bipolar disorder and devising new treatments in the future. Of course, genetics is one of the many reasons that can contribute to bipolar disorder.

Read: Genetics in the service of children

Bipolar disorder – symptoms

Depression in bipolar disorder is the same depression that has recently been increasingly discussed in the media. It exposes the affected person, inter alia, to to a significant drop in mood, lack of self-confidence, recurrent anxiety, inability to perform the simplest activities, in extreme cases even washing or getting out of bed in the morning.

In depression, the patient may be psychomotor retarded, there is no chance to establish visual and verbal contact with him. The patient is still drowsy, has decreased sex drive, does not feel like eating, and is constantly anxious. Very often, depression in bipolar disorder ends in thoughts of suicide or even suicide.

In mania, in turn, it is like in the aforementioned dream of power: a person does not have to eat, sleep, rest, he has an excess of strength, ideas, self-confidence and his causative power. He believes that within a quarter of an hour he can solve the problem of hunger in the third world, hastily devise a cure for cancer and defuse the conflict between China and Tibet.

Since libido is swollen, random romances (sometimes in bulk), random children, and then random drama are not uncommon. Mania is not XNUMX% positive: because a person overwhelmed by it thinks faster, speaks faster and does everything “better” than others, to put it mildly, he may be irritated by misunderstanding, opposition and not putting his ideas into practice.

He is turned off the ability to predict the consequences of his actions, he senselessly invests a lot of money in something completely unnecessary, he quits his job because he thinks that he will earn a lot by playing the trumpet, and in the car he pushes the gas hard, after all, he is immortal.

Patients suffering from mania have an exaggerated ego, high self-esteem, optimism about the present or the future is simply exaggerated. Sharpening the senses makes patients feel colors, sounds or tastes much more intensely, often leads to very loud listening to music, wearing overly colored / bright clothes.

A lighter version of mania is hypomania, to put it simply, a very good humor not taken to the extreme, as in mania. Hypomania is associated with fewer symptoms and their severity. People with hypomania undertake tasks they don’t finish. The actions and deeds of the sick are reckless, yet they are partially controlled, unlike mania. Hypomania is characterized by a lower need for sleep, high activity and life energy, patients feel that they can do everything and that they have time for everything.

Everything they plan to do must be done “here and now,” which often leads to frustration and annoyance when the plan fails. Patients experience periods of non-eating and binge eating.

It is a fact that hypomanic episodes do not always indicate bipolarity, but it is worth consulting and observing specialists. Patients often think that they are fine, they do not want to undergo therapy, and their relatives often treat hypomanic states as a release from depression, making up for lost time.

The mixed episode is another example. There are symptoms of depression, hypomania, and mania at the same time. Patients’ high activity may be surrounded by sadness, meaninglessness in life and suicidal thoughts. Happy states are intertwined with hopelessness, agitation occurs with depression. Such situations require special medical observation, as suicide may occur.

Remission is a condition in which the patient is symptom-free or the symptoms are much less severe than before. Despite the fact that the patient is in remission, he should continue to consult specialists and take appropriate preparations so that bipolar disorder does not come back.

Often times, bipolar disorder begins with a depressive episode that is not caught and therefore goes untreated. The patient comes to the doctor only when he is mania, and during the interview, he remembers (sometimes with the help of his family) that he previously had a period of depression, apathy, and drowsiness. It is assumed that in women more often than in men, the first episode is depression, while in men more often bipolar disorder is complicated with alcohol and / or psychoactive substance abuse, we even deal with a “double diagnosis”, i.e. bipolar disorder plus e.g. ZZA (alcohol dependence syndrome).

Read: Disease remission – what is it and what should you know about it?

Do you notice any disturbing symptoms? Would you like to talk to a professional? Make an appointment for a quick on-line consultation with a psychiatrist.

Many of the symptoms of bipolar disorder that occur in children also overlap with those of a number of other disorders that can occur in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

However, in the past few decades, doctors and mental health professionals have started to recognize childhood affective disorder. Diagnosis can help children heal, but it can take weeks or months to make a diagnosis.

Like adults, children with bipolar disorder experience episodes of high mood. They may seem very happy and show signs of excitability. After these periods, depression follows. While all children experience mood changes, the changes caused by bipolar disorder are very pronounced. They are also usually more extreme than the typical change in a child’s mood.

Symptoms of a child’s manic episode caused by bipolar disorder may include:

1. irrational behavior,
2. risky behavior,
3. constant feeling of happiness,
4. speaking quickly and rapidly changing topics,
5. trouble focusing or concentrating
6. frequent tantrums,
7. trouble sleeping and not feeling tired from sleepless nights.

Symptoms of a child’s depressive episode caused by bipolar disorder may include:

1. insomnia or excessive sleepiness
2. constant feeling of sadness
3. lack of vital energy,
4. no signs of interest in anything
5. Complaining of feeling unwell, including frequent headaches or stomachaches
6. experiencing feelings of worthlessness or guilt
7. excessive appetite or lack of appetite,
8. thoughts of death and suicide.

Some of the behavior problems that you may witness in your child may be the result of a condition other than affective disorder. Children with bipolar disorder may develop ADHD and other behavioral disorders.

Read: Brain training helps with ADHD

Bipolar disorder in adolescents

The hormone changes, as well as the life changes that accompany puberty, can make even the best-behaved teen appear a bit nervous or overly emotional from time to time. However, some teenage mood changes may be the result of a more serious condition, such as bipolar disorder. The diagnosis of bipolar disorder is most common in late teens and early adult years.

In adolescents, the most common symptoms of a manic episode include:

1. constant feeling of happiness,
2. “Role-playing” or irrational behavior,
3. participating in risky behavior,
4. substance abuse,
5. thinking about sex more than normal
6. excessive sexual activity,
7. trouble sleeping (insomnia) but no signs of tiredness
8. problems with concentration.

In adolescents, the most common symptoms of a depressive episode are:

1. excessive sleepiness or insomnia,
2. excessive appetite or lack of appetite,
3. constant feeling of sadness
4. withdrawal from social life,
5. thinking about death and suicide.

Quickly diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder can help teens lead a healthy and normal life.

Bipolar disorder – diagnosis

Diagnosis can be difficult because we tend to ignore depressive states, and mania is rarely identified with a disease state. Patients must have great trust in their relatives in order to make them believe that their perfect well-being and omnipotence are something disturbing and qualifying for treatment.

However, once the correct diagnosis is made, therapy can begin.

Doctor Alicja Rutkowska-Suchorska explains that pharmacotherapy is the basis of treatment of Bipolar Affective Disorders. Other drugs are given for mania, others for depression, but the most important thing is prophylaxis, i.e. pharmaceuticals administered continuously, also in remission, to prevent phase recurrence.

Specialists often use questionnaires in which there are questions and statements relating to changes in the mood of patients – from euphoria and increased activity to mania. The obtained answers allow to determine the time of occurrence and duration of certain behaviors and their significance in family or professional life. However, questionnaires are used to monitor disease and treatment effectiveness rather than to diagnose.

This is a very important task for psychoeducation: it needs to be made familiar with the fact that he will have to take drugs indefinitely; also teach how to recognize signs of relapse to mania or depression. Each patient should receive a solid dose of knowledge about their disease, information about the prognosis and possible course of the disorder, as well as the justification for the need to take preventive drugs, says Dr. Rutkowska-Suchorska.

There are occasions when patients are treated initially for depression instead of bipolar disorder. This happens especially in patients with hypomania, where the diagnosis is not entirely clear because the symptoms are much milder than with bipolar I disorder. In such a situation, careful analysis and observation of patients is recommended, who often ignore the symptoms of the disease themselves and do not go to the doctor (the same applies to the patient’s immediate surroundings).

See: Cyclothymia – what is this disease?

The most effective treatment is the so-called mood stabilizers, i.e. mood stabilizers (lithium salts, valproates and carbamazepine). They have antidepressant, anti-manic and prophylactic properties.

In more difficult cases, especially rapid cycling, combinations of two or even more drugs are used, and a well-set treatment enables the patient to live an almost normal life.

Very important: he has to learn that feeling better doesn’t always mean remission – sometimes it’s hypomania or mania. Anyway, even a classic remission is not an indication of his cessation of treatment. The temptation to stop taking medications must be made aware of and inhibited in time, especially the vigilance and support of loved ones.

Psychotherapy is usually used during long-term remission. Of course, it depends on how severe the bipolar disorder is and at what time intervals each episode occurs. Psychotherapy is also recommended in incomplete periods of remission, when certain episodes occur, it is then an element of patient support. Treatment also includes various types of therapies, during which specialists try to develop the interests and skills of patients, and teach how to control their behavior.

Psychoeducation has been mentioned above, which is quite important when it comes to bipolarity. Thanks to it, the patient obtains information about his disease, doctors share their knowledge and experience. It can be carried out both during diagnosis and treatment implementation, as well as in the form of individual or group meetings.

1. What is humanistic psychotherapy?

Psychoeducation is often recommended for relatives of the patient who enrich their knowledge with information on the characteristic symptoms / behaviors and management of bipolar disorder. This facilitates both the patient-family relationship and teaches relatives to help in going through, let’s say, a difficult disease.

In addition to the above-mentioned method of treating bipolar disorder, it is worth mentioning that there are cases in which, unfortunately, hospitalization of the patient is necessary. These are special cases when the patient has suicidal thoughts, a tendency to commit suicide, is aggressive and poses a threat to the environment (health of others). In such a case, the patient may be taken to a psychiatric hospital without his consent.

During hospitalization, the specialist may use electroconvulsive therapy when the patient is life-threatening during severe mania or when medications have no effect.

So while this swinging horse on two poles cannot be dismounted, because bipolarity is still incurable, rocking can be stopped to such an extent that the rider feels that the horse is standing on the ground with all four hooves.

Self-help in bipolar disorder

While dealing with bipolar disorder isn’t always easy, you can learn to live with it. However, in order to successfully deal with bipolar disorder, you need to make wise choices. Your lifestyle and daily habits can have a significant impact on your mood and even reduce your need for medication.

Keys to self-help in bipolar disorder:

1. Get the right knowledge – learn as much as you can about bipolar disorder. The more you know, the better it will be to deal with
2. be active – Exercise is good for your mood and can reduce the number of episodes you experience with bipolar disorder. Aerobic exercise that activates arm and leg movements, such as running, walking, swimming, dancing, and climbing, can be especially beneficial for the brain and nervous system.
3. control stress – avoid stressful situations, maintain a healthy work-life balance and try relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing
4. Seek Support – It’s important to have people to turn to for help and support. Try to join a support group or chat with a trusted friend. Reaching out is not a sign of weakness and does not mean that you are a burden to others. In fact, most friends are flattered that you trust them enough to confide in them, and it will only strengthen your relationship.
5. stay in close contact with friends and family – nothing is so reassuring to your nervous system as direct contact with caring, supportive people who can just listen to you talk about what you are experiencing.
6. make healthy choices – healthy sleep and eating habits can help stabilize your mood. It is especially important to follow a regular sleep schedule.
7. monitor your moods – track your symptoms and watch for signs that your mood is getting out of control.

Myths and Facts about Bipolar Disorder

With: People with bipolar disorder cannot recover or lead a normal life

Fact: Many people with bipolar disorder have successful careers, happy family lives, and fulfilling relationships. Living with bipolar disorder is hard, but with treatment, healthy coping skills, and a solid support system, you can fully live your life coping with your symptoms.

With: People with bipolar disorder go between mania and depression

Fact: Some people alternate between extreme episodes of mania and depression, but most are more likely to be depressed than mania. Mania can also be so mild that it goes unrecognized. People with bipolar disorder may also not experience any symptoms for a long time,

With: Bipolar disorder only affects your mood

Fact: Bipolar disorder also affects energy levels, memory, concentration, appetite, sleep patterns, sex drive, and self-esteem. In addition, bipolar disorder is associated with anxiety, substance abuse, and health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, migraines, and high blood pressure.

With: Apart from taking your medications, there’s nothing you can do to control bipolar disorder

Fact: While medications are the cornerstone of bipolar disorder treatment, therapy and self-help strategies also play an important role. You can help control symptoms by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, eating properly, monitoring moods, keeping stress to a minimum, and surrounding yourself with supportive people.