change several times a day from
sadness to happiness, from boredom
to excitment, from anger to contentment.
Some people experiance extremly dramatic mood changes and may be
diagnosed as having Bipolar Disorder.
Bipolar Disorder (somtimes called
manic depression illness or manic depression) is a cyclic illness..
Moods may shift from deep, frightening depression to extreme happiness
or elation (mania). Some individuals experiance marked
instability instead of elation. Between these extreme episodes,
there are periods of more or less normal moods.
Bipolar Disorder affects approximately one out of every 100 people,
men & women equally. The disease
usually first apears in early adulthood
or late adolesence. It can also occur in childhood or in late adulthood.
Symptoms
Your mood may fluctuate between
periods of extreme elation (mania) or
moderate elation (hypomania) to
profound depression. Between these
episodes, you may feel essentially normal.
What's the difference between a normal and abnormal mood?
It's not always easy to detect. However, with Bipolar Disorder,
your moods are out of step with things going on in your life.
Bipolar Disorder has many variations.
The length, frequency and pattern of episodes
differs from one person to another. Some people experiance
extreme manic periods but mild depressive periods.
Individuals may have long deep depression,
but mild manic episodes. Still others experiance
less severe mood swings.
Some people even have symptoms of depression
and mania at the same time.
The periods of mania or depression
may last as little as a few days or as long as
several moths. Some people may experiance
years between episodes while others may
experiance several episodes a year.
Rapid Cycling
About 1 in 10 people with Bipolar Disorder
experiance a pattern of mood changes called
"rapid cycling," experiancing four or more episodes
of mania or depression in a year.
People with rapid cycling tend to respond poorly
to treatment with lithium. Other medications are
usually more effective.
The Manic Period
Manic episodes usually arive suddenly and end quickly.
The arrival of the first manic episode after a period
of depression is often the clue that the condition
is Bipolar Disorder, not depression.
Sometimes a manic episode is brought on by
anti-depressant drugs.
During a manic episode, you may have a range
of mild to extreme syptoms including:
* inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
You feel super human. Your thoughts and ideas
are radicl and hugely ambitious. You may be very self centered.
* less need for sleep
Although you sleep a little or not at all,
you don't feel tired (for example, you may feel
rested after only 3 hours sleep).
*talking more than usual or feeling
pressure to keep talking
You speak quickly and can't stop talking.
*ideas or thoughts race through your mind
It's difficult for you to concetrate or focus on one
thing at a time, and you thinking and speech
moves quickly from one idea to the next.
*being easily distracted
Your attention is easily drawn to
unimportant or irrevelant things.
* unstable moods
Your moods shift rapidly, sometimes within minutes.
You may be irritabble and easily frustrated.
You may loose your inhabition and become involved in
high risk activities such as buying sprees, out of control
sexual activities, leaving family and friends or foolish
buisness investments.
* feeling restless and increasing activities
You are restless and physically active.
You may set a number of goals and increase your
activity to achieve them.
* having hallucinations
You may hear, see or smell things that are not real.
* having delusions
You may believe things that are not true, such as having a special relatioooonship with a religious figure, celebrity or a well known political leader (etc).
In a depressive episode, you may have
a range of mild to severe symptoms
including:
*feeling sad
Felling sad or blue most of the time.
*marked decrease in intrest
or in pleasurable activities
Activities that used to bring pleasure such as
pursuing hobbies, spending time with family
memebers or engaging in sexual activity,
just aren't enjoyable anymore.
*changing appetite
Experiencing an increase or decrease in
appetite may result in weight gain
or weight loss.
*distubed sleeping habits
Experiencing difficulties in falling asleep,
waking up early in the morning or sleeping more than normal.
* change in activity
Experiancing restlessness or moving
significantly slower than usual.
* fatigue or loss of energy
You may complain of not having the energy to do things such as getting out of bed in the morning or going to work.
* decreased abilitly to concentrate
and/or make decisions
You may be unable to concentrate, causing a
depressed person to have difficulty remembering.
People may delay important life decisions when clinically depressed.
* feeling guilty or helpless, having low
self-asteem
You may feel very guilty over small matters.
You may beleive that you have little or no influance over matters in your life.
* thinking about death or suicide
You may think seriously about killing yourself and make plans to do so.
You don't have to have all these symptoms
to be clinically depressed.
Morever, some people with several
of these symptoms may simply be experincing
a temporary and short lived sadness.
To be diagnosed as having clinical
depression, the symptoms need to
be persistent.
It is very important to remember that we
judge ourselves by how we feel.
However, we are usually judged by others
by what they see.
The two are often different.
When a manic episode begins, it is common to feel
"On Top Of The World" happy, exited and full of life. Other peole hear overly ambitious plans and notice rapid speech. They see the frenzied activity and risky actions of a person who is out of contro; and is in need of medical help.
Causes
A specific cuase for Bipolar Disorder has not yet been identified. However, physiology and heredity are likely factors.
Physiology
The increase or decrease of certain chemicals (called neuro-transmitters) in the brain is probably the basis of the disorder. Changes or imbalances in these chemical substances may explain why people develop this condition.
Heridity
Bipolar Disorder often runs in families.
Researchers beleive that one or more genes may be responsible.
Bipolar Disorder is NOT caused by such things as:
* poor parenting
* bad marriage
* a demanding job
* a run of bad luck
* loneliness
* poor coping skills
* using drugs or drinking to much
These events or circumstances can create stress
that may trigger or affect the course of the illness
NOT CAUSE Bipolar Disorder.
The Information listed is from the
Manic Depression Association of Alberta
I will be adding new information soon,
and as I am able too.
If you or anyone you know suffers from this illness please seek medical help.
Remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel,
it may not seem like it but there is.
In writting these pages it is also helping me come to terms with this illness, for the first time in my life I am facing it head on.
I know I will never win the battle, but I do know I can manage it with help from drugs
(which will be life long), also psychotherapy and also with the help of loved ones to help me over the speed bumps that I will encounter along the way.
It's a life long journey.
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