All of us have ups and downs, but those who suffer from bipolar disorder have more serious grounds to think about their health and state of mind. The symptoms of bipolar disorder might cause harm to one’s career and educational performance, spoil relationships with people and bring disruption to one’s everyday life. The following bipolar disorder essay will discuss the signs and symptoms of this condition to make it clear why bipolar disorder is so hard to treat and overcome. Although bipolar disorder is quite treatable, most people are not aware of the warning signs and symptoms of this condition and do not consider it relevant to seek medical assistance. However, it is a fact that bipolar disorder tends to get worse without proper treatment. That is why it is important to know the symptoms of the condition that all people should be warned about. Recognizing the issue is the first step towards improving one’s state of mind.
What is bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder is a widespread mental problem also known as manic depression. This disorder causes severe mood shifts as well as changes in energy level, thinking abilities and behavior patterns. This reveals in extreme changes from one condition to another. This is more than just changing from good to bad mood as the mood swings can last for days and even months. Unlike the usual mood swings, the changes of the state of mind in case of bipolar disorder are more intense and can interfere with one’s ability to lead a normal life. During an episode of manic, an individual might act impulsively, which reveals in sudden quitting from a job, taking huge amounts of money from credit cards and feeling good after no more than two hours sleep. During the period of depression, the same individual might experience tiredness and exhaustion. He/she might suffer from hopelessness and hatred towards him/herself over certain life calamities like getting unemployed or having a minor debt.
It is not quite clear what causes bipolar disorder, but it is often passed on from parents to children. The first episode of the disorder, either manic or depressive one, usually takes place at the teen age or in the early adulthood. Bipolar disorder has rather subtle and in most cases confusing symptoms. Thus, many people suffering from this condition are often misdiagnosed, which results in excessive suffering. However, appropriate means of treatment and support of the diseased individual can help patients to return back to normal and lead a satisfactory life. Let us discuss the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder.
The symptoms of bipolar disorder may vary from individual to individual. This depends on the severity of the condition and the frequency of mood swings. Some people tend to be affected by either depression or mania. At the same time, other people exhibit alternations of these conditions. Some people frequently have a disrupted mood, while others may experience it only several times in a lifetime. Experts distinguish four types of disorder episodes, including hypomania, mania, mixed episodes and depression. Every type of episodes has its own symptoms as will be analyzed below.
People suffering from either form of mania might feel extraordinarily optimistic and “high” or they might be extremely angry and irritable. People with these disorders also tend to have unrealistic expectations regarding their skills and abilities. They sleep little and at the same time always feel energetic. They also talk rapidly so that other people cannot keep track of what they are saying. They have racing thoughts and tend to quickly jump from one thought to another. Hallucinations are also common for people with mania, although this happens in more serious cases.
Let us now discuss the types of depressive episodes peculiar to bipolar disorder.
To conclude, experts distinguish different types and phases of bipolar disorder, but despite the severity of the symptoms, one should not think that these conditions cannot be treated. Bipolar disorder is a treatable disease, and after a person undergoes both therapeutic and medical treatment, he/she would be able to lead a perfectly normal life.