Bipolar Disorder Essay, Research Paper

Bipolar upset is possibly one of the most tragic temper upsets, because it

virtually twits with the affected individual? s head. Bipolar upset ( besides known

as manic-depressive upset ) is a mental status in which the individual

surrogates between feelings of passion and depression ( Kalat, 614 ) . These feelings

are utmost antonyms, and therefore create enormous mental and physical emphasis on

the individual affected. This unfortunate upset affects one to two per centum of the

grownup population. Before bipolar upset can be to the full understood, the two chief

temper phases must foremost be identified. During an eternal turn with bipolar

upset, a individual experiences many phases of passion and depression. Different

symptoms of passion include an addition in energy or activity, rapid address,

inordinate exhilaration, utmost crossness and distractibility, a lessening in

the sum of slumber needed, uncommonly hapless judgement, an increased sex thrust,

denial, overspending, and bad behaviour. All of these symptoms may non be

prevalent in a bipolar upset patient ; nevertheless, the more terrible the instance, the

more likely all symptoms may happen. A down episode includes the antonym

features, including a relentless sad or empty feeling, decreased energy,

loss of involvement in activities usually enjoyed ( sex ) , trouble concentrating,

alteration in appetency or organic structure weight, and ideas of self-destruction. There are besides two

less-severe phases a bipolar upset patient may travel through, which are assorted

episodes and hypomanic episodes. A assorted episode contains features of

both frenzied and depressive phases happening at the same clip. Assorted episodes are

the most hard to handle, because different types of medical specialties are necessary

for different episodes. A hypomanic episode is characterized by less terrible,

less restraining symptoms of passion. Doctors frequently overlook hypomanic episodes,

which excessively frequently leads to misdiagnosing. When a individual experiences a combination

of four episodes within a twelvemonth, the individual is considered to be traveling through

rapid cycling. There are two types of bipolar upset. The first is considered

the authoritative, more popular signifier, and is considered? Bipolar I Disorder. ? This

version of the upset is when the individual goes through full manic or assorted

episode, and normally besides goes through episodes of complete depression. The

2nd type of the diso

rder is Bipolar II Disorder, in which the individual has had

at least one hypomanic episode, and at least one complete depressive episode,

yet ne’er goes through a full manic or a full assorted episode. Treating a patient

of bipolar upset takes a piece. Presently, physicians prescribe three different

types of medicine to bipolar patients: temper stabilizers, major tranquilizers, and

antidepressants. Often times, patients need combinations of the drugs, which

take a piece to decode, so it frequently takes about a month to happen the correct

prescription for person. Temper stabilizers are chiefly used for episodes of passion

or hypomania, and sometimes for assorted episodes. Temper stabilizers are besides

utilised to stamp down future manic jailbreaks. Lithium pills are a common medical specialty

for the suppression of frenzied episodes, nevertheless it can be considered unsafe.

If excessively small a dose is taken, it is uneffective, and if excessively big a dose is

taken, bleary vision and sickness occurs. If used right Lithium pills can be

really effectual, and can contend off frenzied episodes for old ages at a clip.

Antipsychotic drugs are used to stamp down terrible manic jailbreaks, and act

rapidly. Antidepressants, non surprisingly, are prescribed during the depressive

phase of bipolar upset. Antidepressants include SSRIs ( Selective Serotonin

Re-uptake Inhibitors ) , Tricyclics, MAOIs ( Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors ) , and

Bupropoin. Normally, when an antidepressant in prescribed, a temper stabilizer is

prescribed along with it, to forestall a possible sway from the depressive phase

directly to a frenzied phase. If the prescribed medicines do non work, and the

instance is terrible, sometimes ECT ( Electro convulsive Therapy ) is used to floor the

patient out of his or her down phase. Currently, scientists and

clinical psychologists are seeking to find how bipolar upset is caused. Surveies

hold determined that bipolar can run in households, so the upset is familial.

Unfortunately, though, physicians have non yet found any other causes.

Psychotherapists frequently do psychoanalyses of bipolar patients, to happen if

anything that occurred earlier in their lives led to the upset, but no

concrete grounds has yet been found.

Fagan, James W. Introduction to Psychology. California: Wadsworth, 1999.

Long, Phillip W. Bipolar Disorder. Home page. Oct. 1994. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.mentalhealth.com

What is Bipolar Disorder? Home page. www.bipolar.com/whatisBPD/intro.htm