Bipolar

• Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes changes in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function.
• People with bipolar disorder experience intense emotional states that typically occur during distinct periods of days to weeks, called mood episodes.
• People without bipolar disorder experience mood fluctuations as well, but these mood changes typically last hours rather than days.
• These changes are not usually accompanied by the extreme degree of behavior change or difficulty with daily routines and social interactions that people with bipolar disorder demonstrate during mood episodes.
• Mania is a condition in which you have a period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, as well as extreme changes in emotions, thoughts, energy, talkativeness, and activity level.
• Mania is a highly energized level of physical and mental activity and behavior that is a change from your usual self and is noticeable by others.
• People in manic states may indulge in activities that cause them physical, social, or financial harm, such as suddenly spending or gambling extreme amounts of money or driving recklessly.
• People in manic states occasionally develop psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, which can cause difficulties in distinguishing bipolar disorder from other disorders such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
• Mania is a condition in which you have a period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, as well as extreme changes in emotions, thoughts, energy, talkativeness, and activity level.
• People in manic states may engage in activities that cause them physical, social, or financial harm, such as spending or gambling extreme amounts of money or driving recklessly.
• Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, can cause difficulties in distinguishing bipolar disorder from other disorders such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
• This highly energized level of physical and mental activity and behavior is a change from your usual self and is noticeable by others.
• Depressive episode

  During a depressive episode, a person experiences a

  depressed mood (feeling sad, irritable, empty).

  • They may feel a loss of pleasure or interest in activities. A depressive episode is different from regular mood fluctuations. They last most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.

  
• Why is bipolar disorder no longer called manic-depressive illness?

  • Healthcare providers used to use “manic depression” to describe a wide range of mental health conditions.

  • As mental health condition classification systems, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), have become more sophisticated, the new term “bipolar disorder” allows for more clarity in diagnosis.
• There’s a lot of stigma and negativity associated with the terms “manic” and “mania,” especially due to the use of “maniac.”

  • Similarly, people use the term “depression” casually to describe periods of sadness that don’t qualify as clinical depression. Using “bipolar disorder” takes the focus away from these two words.

  • “Bipolar disorder” is more of a clinical, medical term and less emotionally loaded than “manic depression.”

  • The term “manic depression” excludes the cyclothymic or hypomanic (bipolar II disorder) versions of the condition.
• Types of BD

  Bipolar I disorder

  • People with bipolar I disorder have experienced one or more episodes of mania.

  • Most people with bipolar I will have episodes of both mania and depression, but an episode of depression isn’t necessary for a diagnosis.

  • The depressive episodes usually last at least two weeks. To be diagnosed with bipolar I, your manic episodes must last at least seven days or be so severe that you need hospitalization.
• Type of BD

  Bipolar II disorder

  • People with bipolar II experience depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes. But they never experience a full manic episode that is characteristic of bipolar I disorder.

  • While hypomania is less impairing than mania, bipolar II disorder is often more debilitating than bipolar I disorder due to chronic depression being more common in bipolar II.

  
• Cyclothymic disorder (cyclothymia)

  • People with cyclothymic disorder have a chronically unstable mood state. They experience hypomania and mild depression for at least two years.

  • People with cyclothymia may have brief periods of normal mood (euthymia), but these periods last fewer than eight weeks.
• Other specified and unspecified bipolar and related disorders

  • If a person doesn’t meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar I, II, or cyclothymia but has still experienced periods of clinically significant abnormal mood elevation, it’s considered other specified or unspecified bipolar disorder.
• What’s the difference between borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder?

  ● Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness that severely impacts a person's ability to manage their emotions.

  ● This loss of emotional control can increase impulsivity, affect how a person feels about themselves, and negatively impact their relationships with others.
• BPD involves a longstanding pattern of abrupt, moment-to-moment swings in moods, behavior, and self-image that are often triggered by conflicts in interactions with other people.

  ● Non-suicidal self-injury is also common in BPD but not in bipolar disorder.

  
• Bipolar disorder is different from BPD because it involves distinct, longer-lasting episodes of mania/hypomania and/or depression.

  ● Several things can trigger manic or depressive episodes, such as sleep changes, stress, medications, and substance use.

  
• Borderline Personality Disorder Vs. Bipolar Disorder

  
• Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement are signs of manic episodes.
• Sudden and severe changes in mood, such as going from being joyful to being angry and hostile, are signs of manic episodes.
• Restlessness is a sign of manic episodes.
• Rapid speech and racing thoughts are signs of manic episodes.
• Increased energy and less need for sleep are signs of manic episodes.
• Increased impulsivity and poor judgment, such as suddenly quitting your job, are signs of manic episodes.
• Making grand and unattainable plans is a sign of manic episodes.
• Reckless and risk-taking behavior, such as drug and alcohol misuse and having unsafe or unprotected sex, are signs of manic episodes.
• Feeling like you’re unusually important, talented, or powerful is a sign of manic episodes.
• Psychosis — experiencing hallucinations and delusions (in the most severe manic episodes), is a sign of manic episodes.
• Psychotic symptoms of a manic episode

  ● Delusions. Delusions are false beliefs or ideas that are incorrect interpretations of information. An example is a person thinking that everyone they see is following them.

  ● Hallucinations. Having a hallucination means you see, hear, taste, smell or feel things that aren’t there. An example is a person hearing the voice of someone and talking to them when they’re not there.
• Causes of Mania

  • Family history. If you have a family member with bipolar illness, you have an increased chance of developing mania. This isn't definite though. You may never develop mania even if other family members have.

  • A chemical imbalance in the brain.

  • A side effect of a medication (such as

  some antidepressants), alcohol, or recreational drugs.
• Causes of Mania

  • A significant change in your life, such as a divorce, house move, or death of a loved one.

  • Difficult life situations, such as trauma or abuse, or problems with housing, money, or loneliness.

  • A high level of stress and an inability to manage it.
• Causes of Mania

  • A lack of sleep or changes in sleep pattern.

  • As a side effect of mental health problems including seasonal affective disorder, postpartum psychosis, schizoaffective disorder, or other physical or neurologic conditions such as brain injury, brain tumors, stroke, dementia, lupus, or encephalitis.
• Signs and symptoms of depressive episodes

  ● Overwhelming sadness.

  ● Low energy and fatigue.

  ● Lack of motivation.

  ● Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.

  ● Loss of enjoyment of things that were once pleasurable for you.

  ● Difficulty concentrating and making decisions.

  ● Uncontrollable crying.

  ● Irritability.

  ● Increased need for sleep.

  ● Insomnia or excessive sleep.

  ● A change in appetite, causing weight loss or gain.

  ● Thoughts of death or suicide (suicidal ideation).
• In patients with affective disorders, the full-blown symptomatology of a depressive episode can develop very fast (e.g., within 1 d) or slowly over weeks or months.
• These differences in the speed of onset of depression are likely to reflect stable intraindividual differences in neurobiological path mechanisms.