Bipolar Disorder Is Serious
by Joe Goertz -
Bipolar disorder is serious. It is an illness that can affect relationships,
careers, and lives. People with bipolar disorder may exhibit manic moods like
high energy, being very talkative, restless or reckless one minute and being
depressed showing signs of sadness, crying, and lack of energy the next minute.
It is this “swing” that gives the disorder its name.
Bipolar can occur in men and women equally and currently affects over 2 million
people. Symptoms of bipolar are often seen in early childhood, although the
onset is usually during the early 20s. Connections have even been found between
bipolar disorder (BPD) and ADHD.
BPD is hard to diagnose in young children, because BPD and ADHD have similar
symptoms. It is just as difficult to diagnose adolescents due to the many
hormonal changes in the overall development which cause unbalance. It is
difficult to discern if the adolescent is acting normally or if the mood swings
are symptoms of BPD. In adults, other problems that will most often occur in
conjunction with BPD, making it easier to diagnose. Some of the problems that
can occur with BPD include drugs and/or alochol use or abuse, seasonal
depression and anxiety disorders.
After diagnosis, there are ways to treat BPD. The most popular methods are with
mood stabilizing drugs and psychotherapy. Before taking any medications, a few
considerations need to be taken. Children and young adults sometimes have higher
suicidal thoughts and tendencies while on mood stabilizing drugs. Medications
should be used under extreme caution, or other measures of control should be put
into practice for younger people diagnosed with BPD. Continuous therapy (both
drug and psycho) should be used even when the “cured” feeling sets in. In other
words, the drugs and therapy may be for life or until such time as your doctor
feels it is medically necessary to remove or discontinue them.
A medical doctor, psychiatrist and/or psychologist will prove to be a qualified
team to affectively monitor and prevent the illness from worsening.
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent BPD. The best thing to do is begin
treatment as quickly as possible. To do that, you must be familiar with the
symptoms. Symptoms of BPD include:
• Excessive happiness or hopefulness
• Restlessness coupled with a need for less sleep
• Distractibility
• Racing thoughts
• High sex drive
• Inflated self-esteem
• Tendency to make larger than attainable plans
• Change in appetite causing weight loss or gain
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Suicide attempt
If you or someone you know may have BPD , it is important that you note the
severity of the symptoms listed above and how long they last. The most telling
symptom of BPD however, is in the extremity of the mood swings - extreme highs
and lows that do not follow a set pattern. Do not attempt to self-diagnose BPD.
If you suspect BPD, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Your medical
doctor can assess your situation and help you find a psychiatrist or
psychologist to aid in your treatment.
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