Bipolar Disorder Essay Example for Free

Bipolar Disorder Essay Bipolar disorders which could also be called manic-depressive disorder consist of mood swings that range from a person expressing a low of depression up to the high of mania. People who experience depression may feel sad or worthless and may even lose interest or enjoyment in most recreational activities they previously found to be enjoying. When a person’s mood swings shifts frequently such as appearing happy to appearing sad in a blink of an eye it could be a sign of them having a bipolar disorder. â€Å"Bipolar disorders affect approximately 5.7 million American adults, or about 2.6 percent of the United States population age 18 and older in a year†, (Lenzenweger , etc., 2007). The moderate age for detecting bipolar disorders is 25, (Lane , etc., 2007). Bipolar disorders have many of common misconceptions and myths. A common myth is if someone has bipolar disorder, all their moods are a product of the condition. The truth of this myth would be that people with bipolar disorder have moods and feelings just like anybody else, and not always is their moods connected to the illness. Often family members of the people who suffer from the illness think that once a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the condition cannot be stabilized, so any misspoken word or misunderstood action is blamed on the bipolar disorder. Just because a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder does not mean that they cannot just have a bad day without the illness being to blame. In the beginning of mental illnesses it may have been expected from most people that the early history of bipolar and mental disorders were not petty, but more of an ignorance, misunderstanding, and fear. â€Å"There were many famous people who displayed classic symptoms of bipolar disorder, even though they were never diagnosed or treated. These historical sufferers of bipolar disorder include people such as Virginia Woolf, Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Leo Tolstoy, Ernest Hemmingway, and Abraham Lincoln†, (Hall-Flavin, 2011). An important event in the history of treatment of bipolar disor der was reached in 1970, when the Food and Drug Administration finally approved Lithium. Bipolar disorder has patterns of different signs and symptoms since it is divided into several subtypes with their own individual signs and symptoms depending on how severe the diagnosis may be. Bipolar 1 disorder has symptoms of mood swings which can cause a person to experience difficulties in their job, school, or even personal relationships. Bipolar 2 disorders is less than bipolar 1. People may experience elevated moods, impulsiveness and a few changes in their functions but, can still maintain normal daily activities. Instead of people who are diagnosed having mania at a full-blown status, they have a less severe form of mania which is hypomania. In bipolar 2, stages of depression last longer than what the stages of hypomania last. The high and low phases of cyclothymiacs are not as severe as they may be with subtypes of bipolar disorder but, hypomania and depression can be destructive. Cyclothymic is a mild form of bipolar disorder which is also known to some people as Cycloth ymic disorder. If a person is experiencing aggressive and risky behaviors, decreased need for sleep, increased sex drive, or racing thoughts these can all indicate signs and symptoms of a manic phase or hypomanic phase of a bipolar disorder. The depressive phase of bipolar disorder can include signs and symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, changes in appetite, chronic pain without a known cause, and irritability. General symptoms and signs of all types of bipolar disorder are changes in mood during seasons, rapid cycling bipolar disorder, and psychosis. A significant function in bipolar disorder and other mood disorders is an imbalance of natural brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. There are several of these neurotransmitters, but those who are most significant to bipolar disorder are monoamines serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. A person’s mood, anxiety, emotions and cravings is regulated by the serotonin neurotransmitter. Unstable moods, insomnia and overeating can be caused by low levels of serotonin. Epinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for regulating metabolism and mental awareness. A person’s behaviors and addictions are affected by the neurotransmitter called dopamine by a person having low levels of dopamine could cause a person with a bipolar disorder to experience addictive behaviors. Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter that soothes the brain and encourages sleep when a person with a bipolar disorder has low levels of GABA it can create anxiety, depression, alcoholism and tremors (Mayo Clinic, 2011). A person must meet the text book criteria located in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), to be correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This is a manual published by the American Psychiatric Association and is utilized to diagnose mental conditions by mental health providers. Insurance companies may also use the manual to reimburse for treatments. Diagnoses are based on the specific type of bipolar disorder that a person may be experiencing. A large amount of people would love for there to be a specific test performed to know if a person has a bipolar disorder. It would be convenient if a person could just supply a blood sample and the results give you a correct diagnosis of bipolar disorder however, it is not that easy there is no precise physical test for bipolar disorder. A company called Psynomics offers a bipolar disorder test which is a saliva-based kit that they say can determine whether you physically have two genetic alterations that are found to be connected with bipolar disorder. However, there is hardly a true bipolar disorder test this test is only beneficial by telling you whether you have additional reasons to seek additional psychiatric testing to receive an accurate diagnosis. However, there is research in progress that may someday lead to a more essential bipolar disorder test. Research is being performed at the Indiana School of Medicine to identify active genes in blood samples associated not just with mood disorders, but with high and low moods. Researchers were successful through performed research in predicting high moods 85% of the time and low moods 77% of the time (Hirschfeld, 2008). Treatments of bipolar disorder are often performed by a team of professionals which may include a psychiatrist, who is trained to diagnose psychiatric illness and also to prescribe any needed medications. Bipolar disorder also can be treated by a psychologist who is trained in making diagnosis, usually does not prescribe medications, but is trained to give certain kinds of verbal therapies, which seems to work well for bipolar patients and then in many cases, bipolar patients may also see someone else who can provide therapy just by verbal communication. This is really an illness where very often theres a team approach from various medical professionals to treating the illness (Hall-Flavin, 2011). A person who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder treatments and episodes can be majorly affected by their environment. If a person who suffers from bipolar disorder is in a stressful environment then it can cause them to have more frequent episodes. It is vital for a person that is being treated for bipolar disorders to remain in calm and peaceful environments so that the treatments will be successful and beneficial. Psychiatrists and research believe treatment has shown improvements over the past decade. Several effective new drugs for maintaining mania are now available that can be used instead of only lithium. Professor Young explains: Newer antipsychotic drugs can control mania quickly without so many of the unwelcome side effects associated with older drugs† (Young, 2006, p. 23). References Bipolar disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/ Retrieved on February 20, 2013. Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 8, 2011. Hirschfeld RM. Psychiatric Management, from Guideline Watch: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Bipolar Disorder, 2nd Edition. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/ Retrieved on February 20, 2013. Lenzenwenger, M.F., Lane, M.C., Loranger, A.W., Kessler, R.C. (2007). DSM-IV personality disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry, 62(6), 553-564. Young A. Bipolar Disorder the Four Dimensions of Care. 7th International Review of Bipolar Disorders. Abstract book p.23 Zelman, M., Tompary, E., Raymond, J., Holdaway, P., Mulvihill, M. (2010). Human diseases: A systemic approach (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.