Bipolar affective disorder is a medical condition marked by mood swings that
are much more severe than what most normal people undergo every now and then.
The condition is more commonly known as manic-depression or bipolar depression,
and combines episodes of deep, brooding depression with extremely elated moods
("mania"). The frequency and intensity of these severe mood swings differ among
sufferers.
Estimates state that more than one percent of the population suffers from bipolar
affective disorder at least once in their lifetimes. While many sufferers go
through a manic-depressive stage at least once every few years, others may take
longer between attacks, making the condition difficult to diagnose. Once recognized,
however, it is possible to treat the symptoms.
Bipolar affective disorder affects the brain, identifying it as a mental illness.
It arises from irregularities in the brain's physical structure (particularly
in the hippocampus area) and chemical processes. Individuals suffering from
bipolar affective disorder experience mood highs and lows that are drastically
above normal intensity. When mood swings persist in frequency, it often results
in the individual being unable to function properly at work or at home. This
also results in faulty decision-making skills and strained relations with the
people around them.
Experts have identified two classifications of Bipolar affective disorder. Physicians
make diagnoses based on the symptoms that the sufferers display.
" Bipolar I Disorder. An individual with Bipolar I Disorder suffers at least
one manic episode (a "high" mood) or mixed episodes (fluctuating moods between
depression and mania, often happening very quickly), in addition to at least
one major episode of depression.
" Bipolar II Disorder. Less severe, Bipolar II Disorder subjects a sufferer
to at least one major episode of depression and at least one "hypomanic" episode,
or one in which the individual experiences a happy mood, but not so happy as
to obstruct good judgment and function (as opposed to mania).
In order to diagnose a patient as suffering from one of the two types of Bipolar
affective disorder, other special conditions and circumstances that may also
cause the abovenoted symptoms must be ruled out. The individual's medical history
will be thoroughly checked for any previous records of mental illness. The patient's
family history will also be checked for any prior accounts of similar mood illnesses.
In the future, blood tests may also help in arriving at more accurate diagnoses
of Bipolar affective disorder.
Bipolar affective disorder affects approximately three out of every two hundred
people in the general population, and more people suffer from Bipolar I than
Bipolar II Disorder. At any given moment, from one to two million Americans
are affected by Bipolar affective disorder. Research has so far failed to determine
whether Bipolar affective disorder is more likely to affect certain races or
ethnicity. What has been determined, however, is that Bipolar I Disorder affects
both men and women in equal frequency and intensity, while Bipolar II Disorder
occurs more frequently in women. Women are also more susceptible to rapid cycling,
when depressive and manic stages follow each other in quick succession, usually
at least four times in a single year.
To date, Bipolar affective disorder has no cure. Research, however, has made
great strides in understanding this lifelong mental illness, and experts are
confident that better treatments (and even cures) for Bipolar affective disorder
will develop in the near future. For now, those suffering from Bipolar affective
disorder may rest assured that its negative effects can be mitigated with medication
and modifications in lifestyle.
For more information on bipolar
affective disorder just follow the link.
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