Introduction:
Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that causes changes in a person's mood and ability to function. A person with this disorder experiences episodes of mania (high) and depression (low) eventually can occur again if he?she doesn't get treatment. Mania is a mental illness marked by periods of great excitement or euphoria, delusions, and overactivity. Manic episode includes a sustained period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, racing thoughts, psychosis, hallucinations and delusions, excessive happiness, hopefulness, excitement, restlessness, Rapid speech, loss of appetite, high drive, poor judgment, impulsive behavior, overconfidence. The underlying mechanism of mania is the increase concentration of glutamate which is a neurotransmitter in the brain which cause the overactivity. The mild form of mania without delusions or hallucinations which doesn't require hospitalization is called hypomania. Hypomania doesn't interfere in everyday life. Depression is a serious mental illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. It can lead to a variety of emotional problems and can decrease your ability to function. Depressive phase is characterized by feeling sad, loss of interest, changes in appetite (weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting), increased fatigue, disturbance in sleep cycle (either too much sleeping or insomnia), slowed movements, feeling worthless, feeling guilty, difficulty in thinking, concentrating or making decisions, suicidal thoughts. In Bipolar disorder, the patient experiences alternative episodes of depressive and manic periods which lasts for hours or even days.
Types of Bipolar Mood Disorder:
There are four types of this disorder.
- Bipolar I
- Bipolar II
- Cyclothymic disorder
- unspecified bipolar disorder
Bipolar Disorder I: Manic episodes are extremely severe person needs hospitalizations and manic episodes last at least a week. Depressive periods are also severe and last for two weeks.
Bipolar Disorder II: In this mania and depressive episodes are present but not as much severe as in bipolar disorder I. It is mild form than bipolar I.
Cyclothymic disorder: Brief periods of hypomanic episodes(mild form of mania) with alternating periods of depression that are not long-lasting.
Unspecified bipolar disorder: in which a person has only a few of the mood symptoms that define a manic or hypomanic episode, or may not last long enough to be considered as clear-cut "episodes."
Causes of Bipolar Mood Disorder:
The exact cause of this disorder is unknown. Sometimes it may be genetics. Someone with a parent or sibling with this disorder has 4 to 6 times high risk. Stressful life and changes in sleep pattern can also trigger this disorder. But the exact reason and mechanism of Bipolar Disorder is still unknown.
Treatment:
There is no treatment for Bipolar Mood disorder. Medications and psychotherapy can only use to manage mood changes and other symptoms of Bipolar Mood Disorder, but not treat it.
Medications:
These medications are used:
Mood Stabilizers
Antidepressants
Antianxiety
Antipsychotics
sleep inducers
Mood Stabilizers are the first choice for its treatment. Lithium is most commonly used for manic episodes.
Psychotherapy:
It is used to help people, friends and family members to better understand this condition. Psychotherapy improves patient's mental condition. Lifestyle changes also improve this condition. Healthy diet and exercise help a lot. Bipolar Mood disorder is not curable with any medication. It stays with a person till death.
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