Bipolar Disorder Defined
Bipolar disorder, or manic-depression, is a mental condition that manifests as periods of mania (an overly joyful or overexcited state) along with periods of depression (extreme sadness or hopelessness). The “swings” between mania and depression can be very abrupt and will vary in intensity from patient to patient. The swings can affect mood, energy, activity level, and the ability to carry out daily tasks.
Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder
In order to properly diagnose bipolar disorder in a patient, a mental health professional will review evidence concerning several areas of the person’s history, behavior, and lifestyle. These in-depth medical interviews will, of course, start with the patient and may extend to family or friends if the doctor feels that helpful information about the patient’s behavior could be gleaned from third parties.
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder manifests in extreme changes in energy and activity levels, sleep patterns, and behavior. Like any other serious mental illness, symptoms of bipolar disorder will vary greatly among patient populations. Not only do patients vary in the symptoms that they exhibit, but variations in the intensity of common symptoms further differentiate bipolar patients.
Bipolar Disorder Treatment
Bipolar disorder is a mental health illness that has no known cure and is typically not completely controllable with medication. It manifests in patients cycling between periods of mania (overly joyful or excited) and depression. As such, a bipolar patient will always struggle to control the destructive symptoms of the illness and may experience some of the symptoms of both manic and depressive phases.
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