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What is Bipolar?
An Internship Honours Project by RaspberryCheesecake.
Bipolar
Bipolar is known as manic depression. It is a very severe mental health illness. It is characterised by mood swings. These mood swings include manic highs and depressive lows. Both male and female of any ethnic or social background can suffer from bipolar. There is no age range it targets and develops within.
The symptoms can start to occur at any time and can then reoccur when emotional pressures at their highest with the individual. Bipolar can be triggered by:
Work stress,
Study stress,
Family stress,
Emotional pressures,
Childbirth – in women,
Menopause – in women.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for bipolar, but having enough guidance and support, and receiving an early diagnosis, along with accepting the illness can still live a happy life. There are ways you can manage bipolar, and these are:
Medication,
Health care,
Therapy,
Self-management.
Types of Bipolar
There are six main types of Bipolar. These types of bipolar involve changes in the individuals: mood, activity levels and energy. These moods can range from extremely elated and energised behaviour, or very down and hopeless periods. The less severe manic periods are explained as hypomanic episodes.
The first main type of bipolar is, Bipolar 1 Disorder. This type of bipolar is defined by manic episodes. These episodes tend to last around 7 days. Sometimes the manic symptoms are so severe, the individual needs to be in immediate hospital care. Depressive episode can also occur however, these typically lasts for 2 weeks. Having episodes that consist of mixed features (depression and manic symptoms) can be possible. If this type of bipolar is untreated, manic episodes can last between three to six months. Also, without treatment, depressive episodes can last longer – between 6 to 12 months.
The second main type of bipolar is, Bipolar 2 Disorder. This type of bipolar is defined as a pattern of hypomanic and depressive episodes. However, this type of bipolar is not as severe as Bipolar 1 Disorder, because of the full-blown manic episodes that Bipolar 1 Disorder has. Majority of individuals with Bipolar 2 will likely to have more than one episode of severe depression and others could experience hypomania, which would be a 6 to 8 on the mood scale, rather than an extreme manic episode, which is 8 to 10 on the mood scale.
The third type of bipolar is, Cyclothymic Disorder. This type of bipolar is also known as Cyclothymia. This type of bipolar is defined by numerous hypomanic symptoms occurring. There are numerous periods when the individual develops depressive symptoms. These can last for 2 years, and 1 year in children and adolescents. However, this type of bipolars symptoms do not meet the diagnostic requirementsfor hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes. The symptoms can last for a period of at least 2 years. Cyclothymia can develop into bipolar.
The fourth type of bipolar is, Other Specified Bipolar. This is also known as, Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. This is when the symptoms and bipolar do not clearly indicate one of the other bipolar disorders.
The fifth type of bipolar is, Mixed State. These symptoms include stages of mania and depression at the same time. This can result in: agitation, trouble sleeping, suicidal thoughts, changes in appetite and psychosis.
The next type of bipolar is, Rapid Cycling. This is when individuals mood swings change faster. This can result in more than four mood swings within, a 12-month period. Rapid Cycling affects around 1 in 10 people with bipolar. This type of bipolar can happen with Bipolar 1 and 2.
The last type of Bipolar is Psychosis. This is sometimes severe mania or depression. On the mood scale, the mania comes out at around an 8 to 10 and depression comes out at around a 2 to 0 on the mood scale. This is accompanied by periods of psychosis. The symptoms of Psychosis can include: delusions and hallucinations.
Signs and symptoms
Individuals who have bipolar, has the following signs and symptoms, however, there are signs and symptoms for both depression and manic state of mind. These symptoms can variety from person-to-person.
Depression:
- Lack of energy,
- Self-doubt,
- Difficulty sleeping,
- Waking up early,
- Lack of appetite,
- Suicidal thoughts,
- Feeling pessimistic about everything,
- Feelings of guilt and despair,
- Feeling sad, hopeless or irritable majority of the time,
- Feelings of emptiness or worthlessness,
- Loss of interest in everyday activities,
- Difficulty concentrating and remembering things,
- Being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking.
Mania:
- Not eating,
- Talking very quickly,
- Feeling very happy, elated or overjoyed,
- Feeling self-important,
- Feeling full of energy,
- Being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking,
- Not feeling like sleeping,
- Being easily irritated or agitated,
- Being easily distracted,
- Feeling full of great new ideas and having important plans,
- Making decisions or saying things that are out of character, and that others see as being risky or harmful,
- Doing things that often have disastrous consequences, for example, spending large sums of money on expensive and sometimes unaffordable items.
What causes Bipolar?
The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown. There can be a number of factors that can work together to make an individual more likely to develop the condition. There are thought to be a mix of: physical, environmental and social factors.
Chemical imbalance in the brain:
It is said that bipolar disorder is resulted of chemical imbalances in the brain. The chemicals that are responsible for controlling the brains functions are called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include the chemicals: dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin. Experts believe that if there is an imbalance in the levels of one of the neurotransmitters, individuals may develop symptoms of bipolar disorder. An example of this is when mania occurs, this is created by the levels of noradrenaline being too high. The episodes of depression may be the result of the noradrenaline levels being too low.
Genetics:
Experts also believe that bipolar disorder is linked to genetics, because it is a condition that seems to run in families. The family member or members that have bipolar disorder have a high risk of developing bipolar disorder. However, there is no single gene that is fully responsible for bipolar disorder. It is a number of environmental factors and genetic facts that act as triggers.
Triggers:
If the individual is going through a stressful circumstance or situation, then this situation can trigger some of the symptoms for bipolar disorder. Examples of triggers could include:
~ Death of a loved one or family member,
~ The breakdown of a relationship,
~ Sexual, physical or emotional abuse.
Bipolar Disorder Mood Scale
The Bipolar UK mood scale is from a scale of 0 to 10. Individuals who are not affected by bipolar will experience mood swings between 4 and 6 on the mood scale. However, if you do have bipolar, your mood swings are much higher or lower. They can be between 6 to 10. With depression part of bipolar, your levels can go as low as 4 to 0. 0 is the suicidal depression.
[https://writingfilmsbookslife.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/mood-scale.jpg]
Hypomania (6 to 8 on the mood scale)
Individuals experiencing hypomania can come across very self-confident and euphoric, however, they may react with sudden anger, irritability or impatience. They may become more challenging and talkative, along with distracted. The individual may become more reckless than usual. This might mean that there would be errors for judgement.
Mania (8 to 10 on the mood scale)
The individual that is going through this stage may be experncing mania without knowing that it is happening. They may become incoherent, or disjointed with their thinking, this can lead to them becoming easily distracted.
Depression (4 to 0 on the mood scale)
Most individuals with bipolar experiences severe depression. Usually this will follow a period of mania or hypomania. For individuals during the winter, it is more likely for them to show signs of depression.
Facts/Trivias
• Just 1% to 2% of the population experience a lifetime of bipolar.
• On averageit takes 10.5 yearsto receive a correct diagnosis for bipolar in the UK.
• Bipolar affects every aspect of your life and your relationship. Family and friends can all be put under stress.
• Bipolar increases the risk of suicide by 20 times.
• Bipolar has a huge impact on family and friends.
Help and resources
Bipolar UK [https://www.bipolaruk.org/frequently-asked-questions]– Offers a wide range of information about bipolar, including medication and living with bipolar.
NHS - Bipolar [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bipolar-disorder/]– Learn the basics about bipolar, including diagnosis, treatment and causes of bipolar.
Mind.org.uk - Bipolar [https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/bipolar-disorder/#.Wx5Jti-ZPR1] – Learn about the stigma against bipolar and real-life stories of people who live with bipolar.
Kidshealth - Bipolar [https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/bipolar.html] – Kid friendly site about Bipolar. (Teenshealth)
Sources
https://www.bipolaruk.org/frequently-asked-questions [https://www.bipolaruk.org/frequently-asked-questions]
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml [https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml]
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms/ [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms/]
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bipolar-disorder/causes/ [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bipolar-disorder/causes/]
https://www.bipolaruk.org/faqs/mood-scale [https://www.bipolaruk.org/faqs/mood-scale]
https://www.bipolaruk.org/faqs/bipolar-the-facts [https://www.bipolaruk.org/faqs/bipolar-the-facts]
Questions for Forum Discussion
Do you have any experience with bipolar, either from yourself or a loved one, if so, would you like to share you experience with us? But only if you are comfortable!
What type of support have you received or are you receiving from the people around you?
How do you deal with your bipolar? Would you mind sharing us any tips or ways on how youre handling it?
