Bipolar Depression Symptoms—And How to Treat Them
Bipolar mood disorder is characterized in people in which they
alternate between depressive and manic states. The combination of manic and depressive
states can be totally random and unpredictable. Bipolar depression has one distinguishing
symptom, episodes of extreme mania. These episodes of mania point to a chronic condition
that usually begins during the teen or early adult years and continues for the rest of
the sufferers life. It is estimated that 1 percent of Americans suffer from bipolar depression.
The two most common symptoms of bipolar depression are extreme mania and deep
depression. These two symptoms are on opposite ends of the mood spectrum, making
for very large mood swings in a bipolar
person.
A bipolar sufferer in manic mode can experience feelings of intense pleasure and
happiness. During these episodes of mania they can be very creative and
motivated. They can also solve intellectual problems
from directions most of us wouldn't even consider. If their mania becomes more
extreme a sufferer of bipolar depression can become hostile and destroy
property, even going so far as to experience delusions and hallucinations.
A person suffering from bipolar depression and also experience deep depression.
While in this state a person will have feelings of hopelessness, loss of
interest in family and work, anxiety, pessimism, loss of interest in sex and
extreme fatigue.
Other symptoms of bipolar depression include weight loss or gain, suicidal
thoughts and actions, physical ailments, withdrawal from friends and family and
the excessive use of drugs and alcohol.
There are four categories of bipolar depression and persons suffering from this
disorder may progress to a higher category over the life of their illness. These
four categories include:
Bipolar I
Bipolar II
Bipolar NOS
Cyclothemia
It should be noted that bipolar depression manifests itself differently in
everyone it affects and therefore cannot be treated the same way all the time.
What works for one patient may not work for another which make proper diagnosis
by a trained doctor or psychiatrist critical.
The cause of bipolar depression is unknown but most scientists agree that it can
be caused by many different things. A stressful incident or serious of stresses
early in life may trigger the first manic episode. There is also a school of
thought that bipolar disorder is genetic and may be passed down through family
members. Brain development and structure could also play a role in bipolar
depression. When test subjects were given MRI's and those results were compared
to subjects who are not bipolar the data shows that sufferers of the condition
have slightly different brain structures.
The treatment for bipolar depression is evolving as the medical world learns
more about its causes and affects. The most effective treatments to date
includes medications such as SSRI's and MAOI's. When these drugs are used in
concert with psychotherapy there is a good chance that persons afflicted with
bipolar disorder can live normal lives
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