BIPOLAR DISORDER WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS MANIC DEPRESSION AND THIS TERM FOR THE DISORDER IS STILL USED IN SOME QUARTERS TODAY . BIPOLAR DISORDER , AS THE NAME SUGGESTS , INVOLVES MOOD SWINGS BETWEEN DEPRESSION AND ELEVATION PLUS ALL POINTS IN BETWEEN . IT DOES NOT ONLY AFFECT YOUR MOOD HOWEVER . IT CAN AFFECT YOUR BEHAVIOUR , YOUR THOUGHT PATTERNS , SLEEP PATTERNS AND FEELINGS . THESE AFFECTS MAY BE MINOR OR MAJOR , BUT THE EFFECTS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER IN WHATEVER ITS FORM REQUIRE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT . UNTREATED , A PERSON WHO SUFFERS FROM BIPOLAR DISORDER CAN BE WELL AND TRULY ON A PATH OF SELF DESTRUCTION . INDEED , THE SUICIDE RATE AMONGST BIPOLARS IS QUITE HIGH .
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH , BIPOLAR DISORDER IS REFERRED TO AS A MENTAL ILLNESS , YET IF THIS IS TRUE AND IT IS SOMETHING IN THE MIND , THEN HOW IS IT THAT IT IS TREATED WITH DRUGS ? NO-ONE HAS YET IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY WHAT OR HOW BIPOLAR IS CAUSED , BUT THE MOST COMMON SUGGESTIONS ARE THAT IT IS SOMETHING TO DO WITH CELLS AND ACTIVITY IN THE BRAIN . THE BRAIN IS THE ORGAN WE KNOW LEAST ABOUT , BUT IT IS A PHYSICAL ORGAN . THAT BEING THE CASE , PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE REFERRING TO BIPOLAR DISORDER AS BEING AS MUCH A PHYSICAL ILLNESS OR DISORDER AS DIABETES .
BIPOLAR DISORDER IS A CHRONIC DISORDER . THAT IS , ONCE IT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED YOU ’ VE WON THE LOTTERY . YOU HAVE IT FOR LIFE .
THE SYMPTOMS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER ARE BROKEN UP INTO TWO GROUPS FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES . THESE ARE DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND MANIC SYMPTOMS . MANIC SYMPTOMS ARE BROKEN DOWN HOWEVER INTO A FURTHER SUB-GROUP KNOWN AS HYPOMANIC SYMPTOMS .
DEPRESSION
FEELINGS OF NOTHINGNESS , A TOTAL “ VOID ” FEELINGS OF SADNESS AND / OR ANXIETY WANTING TO CRY , BUT UNABLE TO DO SO CRYING UNCONTROLLABLY REMAINING IN BED FOR DAYS CONTANT TIREDNESS AND FATIGUE COMPLETE LOSS OF INTEREST IN THINGS YOU ENJOYED IGNORING DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES AND / OR PERSONAL HYGIENE LOSS OF SELF ESTEEM INABILITY TO MAKE EVEN SIMPLE DECISIONS WANTING TO DIE SUICIDE IDEATION RESTLESSNESS , ANGER OR IRRITABILITY MANIA
FILLED WITH ENERGY , TOO MUCH TO BURN EXTRAVAGANT SPENDING , EVEN WITH CREDIT CARDS INCREASED SEXUAL ACTIVITY AND DESIRES GOING WITHOUT SLEEP BUT NOT GETTING TIRED