What Is Bipolar Disease
Just like heart disease, Bipolar Disease or disorder is a medically defined condition that can be treated. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Bipolar Disorder is:
Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a serious medical illness that causes shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe.
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Wikipedia defines bipolar disorder as:
"Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time. These episodes are usually separated by periods of "normal" mood, but in some individuals, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, known as rapid cycling. Extreme manic episodes can sometimes lead to psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. The disorder has been subdivided into bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia, and other types, based on the nature and severity of mood episodes experienced; the range is often described as the bipolar spectrum" (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar-Disorder).
The alternating episodes of mania and depression that define bipolar disorder can differ greatly from person to person. They can last from a few hours to a few months and may occur several times a year or only rarely. Some people have symptoms of mania and depression at the same time. Doctors call this a mixed state. In between manic and depressive episodes, people with bipolar disorder often feel well and have no symptoms of the illness.
About 5.7 million adult Americans have bipolar disorder. An equal number of men and women develop the illness – men tend to begin with a manic episode while women more often start with an episode of depression. The illness usually starts in the late teens or early adulthood, but the first signs can show up later or earlier in life. Often people do not recognize bipolar disorder as an illness, and some go undiagnosed and without treatment for years.
There are several types of bipolar disorder, each defined by the severity and pattern of manic and depressive episodes:
* Bipolar I disorder: characterized by repeated episodes of mania and depression.
* Bipolar II disorder: characterized by less severe episodes of mania than bipolar I disorder. These milder episodes are called hypomania and alternate with episodes of depression. Bipolar I and bipolar II disorders are the most common types of the illness.
* Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: diagnosed when a person has at least four episodes of mania and depression in a 12-month period.
* Cyclothymia: a milder form of bipolar disorder. People with cyclothymia have less severe episodes of mania and depression than those with other forms of the illness.
* Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, or BD-NOS: does not follow one of the established patterns or fit the specific criteria doctors use to diagnose other types of bipolar disorder.
Sources: National Institute of Mental Health, Mayo Clinic, MedlinePlus, Psych Central
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Bipolar I disorder is typically diagnosed when patients are in their early 20s. Manic symptoms can rapidly escalate over a period of days and frequently follow psychosocial stressors. Some patients initially seek treatment for depression. Other patients may appear irritable, disorganized or psychotic. Differentiating true mania from mania resulting from secondary causes can be challenging.
Bipolar II disorder typically is brought to medical attention when the patient is depressed. A careful history will usually illuminate the diagnosis. Some depressed patients exhibit hypomania when given antidepressants.3 This variation is sometimes referred to as bipolar III disorder. The criteria for major depressive episode and manic episode is described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV).
Bipolar disorder is difficult to diagnose, and it often gets confused with other mental illnesses. Because mania is the hallmark of bipolar disorder, the depressive episodes sometimes get overlooked. The Harvard Health Letter notes that people with bipolar disorder typically spend much more time depressed than manic. In fact, years of depression may go by between manic episodes. If you feel you or someone you know may be suffering any of these symptoms, you should seek the assitence of your professional health care provider.
