Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Introduction

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent, alternating episodes of depression and mania. Episodes usually last for = 1 week, and = 4 episodes (rapid cycling) can occur in a year. Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive psychosis is a mental illness characterized by mood alteration that occurs in bouts or episodes of illness that may be of mania, characterized by pathologically elevated mood and hyperactivity, depression, sadness or pathological melancholy, and occasionally as a mixed episode, consisting of a mixture of manic and depressive symptoms. A very important aspect to consider in this disorder is that both episodes as the very course of the disease are pharmacologically modifiable in many cases being able to achieve complete control of the disease (DynaMed, 2011).

Discussion

There are two types exist in the bipolar disorder. BD I is characterized by = 1 manic or mixed (i.e., symptoms of both mania and depression) episodes, usually with a major depressive episode. BD II is characterized by at least one mild episode of mania and = 1 major depressive episodes (Goodwin, 2009).

Symptoms of BD include

Manic symptoms—euphoria, racing thoughts, frequently switching from one idea to another, poor judgment, risk-taking behavior (e.g., drug use, reckless driving, promiscuity), buying sprees, distractibility, decreased need for sleep, psychomotor agitation, catatonic symptoms

Depressive symptoms—sadness, anxiety, guilt, hopelessness, sleep and appetite disturbances, fatigue, anhedonia (i.e., lack of interest in previously pleasurable activities), restlessness, irritability, and suicidal ideation

Psychotic symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations) can also be present

Antipsychotics can be classified as typical (e.g., haloperidol, chlorpromazine) or atypical (e.g., risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine). Because their adverse reactions are less severe, atypical antipsychotics are preferred over typical antipsychotics for BD

Atypical antipsychotics, along with lithium and the anticonvulsant valproate, are first-line treatments for acute mania.

Manic Depressive Illness

Bipolar disorder is referred to as manic depressive illness because this brain disorder stimulate to have frequent shifting of unusual moods, liveliness, and enthusiasim level in the person's daily routine who are suffering from this disorder. Bipolar disorder has very rigorous and relentless symptoms. These system are different from those activities and changes in the mood of a normal person, though it is quite obvious that every person in hi daily routine undergoes through the frequent mood fluctuations, because of any odd or even happenings (Neuman, 1997). This disorder results in ruining many relationships as well, and also resulted in termination from the job, people commit suicides and low performance of children in ...