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How Do You Know You Have Bipolar Disorder?

By: Dr. Arturo Ovies Home | Health-and-Fitness


There are many different factors that can attribute to making someone depressed. Often times the illness is not something that happens over night but over time. There are many life situations that can attribute to ones illness from a truck driver to a white collar professional. There are no age boundaries for this type of illness and it can affect men and women equally. Whatever your situation there is a reason for the way you feel!

Anyone suffering from bipolar disorder has to deal with this condition every day. Many people often don't realize that they have an illness and may feel isolated by feeling the way they do. Taking the steps necessary this illness can be managed if given the right tools!

Before, the condition was popularly called manic depression. But now, it is called bipolar because of the two extreme poles that make up the condition. A good example is the globe having a north and a south pole. When an individual experiences different symptoms associated with one pole, then he's having an episode.

Types of Episodes

The episodes are divided into four types: depression, mania, hypomania, and mixed mood. When a person feels depressed, he or she feels sad and don't want to do the usual things. Those that exhibit mania usually start having a high feeling, and become angry and irritable. They are the ones who tend to do risky things. The milder form is known as hypomania which can lead to either depression or mania; this episode also starts with feeling good and the person may think that more things are done. Others who have episodes with feelings of depression and mania mixed together is called mixed mood.

Main symptoms

There are two main symptoms, depression and mania. Depressions tend to have emotional feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt. Individuals with depression often sleep quite a lot and find themselves experiencing changes in weight and appetite. The opposite can be said about mania, where the symptoms are of increased energy, little sleep, more easily distracted, more talkative and find themselves doing extreme or unusual activities.

Types

Here are the four main types of bipolar:

1. Bipolar I ? this type involves manic and mixed episodes, as well as major episodes of depression. The bipolar patient may experience more than one episode for several days, weeks, or even months. Seasonal changes also seem to affect the symptoms exhibited by the person.

2. Bipolar II ? Depression and hypomania are two of the major episodes for bipolar II. Many individuals that have this type of bipolar often act normally in between the episodes of emotional distress.

3. Cyclothymic Disorder ? This type of disorder is considered a milder form of hypomania and depression episodes, which occurs with less frequency.

4. Not Specified ? This is when someone does not fall into any one of the other three types of disorders mentioned. However, it should be noted that the disorder does vary from one person from another!

There is no known cause of bipolar disorder. Some say that it has something to do with genetics. But that alone is not enough to cause such disorder. Perhaps other factors contribute to the disorder and that is why further studies are underway.

Neurotransmitters are special chemicals located in the brain cells of all types of people, age groups and sex. These are special chemicals that seem to be involved in the disorder in one form or another.

If you think you're experiencing bipolar symptoms, then you'd better check with your doctor as soon as possible.



Article Source: http://www.eArticlesOnline.com

About the Author:
Dr. Arturo Ovies is an expert in bipolar disorder residing in Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Ovies knows firsthand what it means to have Bipolar Disorder because he lives with it every day. Getting the right answers to so many questions can be very difficult, but Dr. Ovies has written an ebook on how to manage bipolar disorder. The information provided in this easy to read and understand ebook, is priceless.

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