Bipolar Disorder Essay, Research Paper

Introduction

What is Bipolar Disorder?

The word bipolar is defined as & # 8220 ; associating to, associated with, or happening in two polar regions7 & # 8243 ; . Bipolar upset is a construct described as a mental unwellness in which a individual experiences dramatic temper swings. This upset affects one in every one hundred people. Bipolar upset is the proficient term for manic-depressive unwellness.

The first known history of bipolar upset was in 1922. Emil Kraepelin, manager of the Research Institute of Psychiatry, developed the first classs of mental illnesses4. Manic-depressive psychosis ( bipolar upset ) and dementia praecox ( now called schizophrenic disorder ) are two classs he defined.

Body

What Are the Stages and Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?

There are two repeating phases of bipolar upset. Each phase is by and large followed by a period of normality. The undermentioned subdivision of the study will analyse the phases of bipolar episodes, and depict the symptoms of each.

Mania. The etymology of the word passion comes from the Grecian word mainesthai, intending to be mad7. The Webster & # 8217 ; s Dictionary defines mania as & # 8220 ; exhilaration manifested by mental and physical hyperactivity, disorganisation of behaviour, and lift of temper & # 8221 ; .

The passion phase of bipolar upset is like the happiest minute of a individual & # 8217 ; s life, exaggerated to the full capablenesss of the human head ( analogy ) . This becomes a job when the feelings are so strong that the individual looses contact with world.

In an episode of passion, a individual may see the undermentioned symptoms:5

& # 183 ; Abnormally elevated temper ( euphory )

& # 183 ; Over-inflated self-pride

& # 183 ; Decreased demand for slumber

& # 183 ; Increased garrulity

& # 183 ; Racing ideas

& # 183 ; Distractibility

& # 183 ; Involvement in hazardous activities

Severe Depression. The Bipolar Disorder Glossary defines depression as & # 8220 ; an utmost temper of unhappiness with physical symptoms such as loss of appetency and sleep. & # 8221 ;

Everyone experiences depression in their life-time, it helps people to acknowledge job state of affairss. In contrast to normal depression, terrible depression can impair a individuals ability to map in mundane state of affairss.

Person with bipolar upset will normally show several of the undermentioned symptoms:5

& # 183 ; Persistent sad temper

& # 183 ; Loss of involvement in enjoyable activities

& # 183 ; Change in appetency

& # 183 ; Difficulty kiping

& # 183 ; Loss of energy

& # 183 ; Feelingss of ineptitude

& # 183 ; Difficulty concentrating

& # 183 ; Suicidal ideas

Assorted Episode. When in the assorted episode phase of bipolar upset, a individual experiences symptoms of both mania and depression at the same clip. This phase is the most crippling because the down temper accompanies frenzied activities.

Figure 1

These are imaging scans of the encephalon of a individual with bipolar upset. Blue and green show low degrees of encephalon activity: ruddy, orange, and yellow show high degrees of encephalon activity. The top row of Figure 1 shows depression, the center row shows passion, and the underside row shows the alteration back to

depression3.

What Are the Factors of Bipolar Disorder?

Everyone goes through periods of depression, but most do non fall into terrible depression. Psychologists believe that bipolar upset is caused by biological and psychological factors, and are triggered by nerve-racking events in life.

Biological Factors. Bipolar upset, every bit good as other depression unwellnesss, can be passed down. Hormone instability may do bipolar upset. An abnormally high lever of cortisol, a endocrine secreted by the adrenal secretory organ to cover with emphasis, can act upon the susceptibleness to bipolar disorder3. Lacks in folic acid or the B vitamins besides contribute to the cause of bipolar disorder3.

Psychological Factors. There are several psychological factors that influence bipolar upset. Sigmund Freud believed that & # 8220 ; a individual & # 8217 ; s unconscious choler over loss weakens the self-importance, ensuing in self-hate and suicidal behavior3 & # 8243 ; . This loss could be existent, such as a decease, or symbolic, like failure to run into a end. Peoples with & # 8220 ; depressive & # 8221 ; personalities, person who has a negative mentality on everything, is more likely to hold a depression job.

What Forms of Treatment Are Available?

There is no known remedy for bipolar upset, but it is treatable. The success rate for intervention is 80 percent1. There are two ways of intervention. For best consequences, both methods should be used together.

Reding and Psychotherapy. Counseling, or speaking over jobs with a counsellor, helps by leting the release of withheld emotions and jobs. A counsellor may be able to assist a individual understand and work out jobs. The Webster & # 8217 ; s Dictionary defines psychotherapeutics as the procedure in which a & # 8220 ; patient and head-shrinker work out the jobs created by the upset and reestablish healthy self-image & # 8221 ; .

Medicine. There are two types of medicines used to command symptoms of bipolar upset. Mood stabilising medicines are used to forestall passion and terrible depression. They work by equilibrating the neurotransmitters, a substance that transmits nervus urges, in the brain1. Antidepressants are used to forestall depression by changing the degrees of neurotransmitters in the brain1.

Decision

What Are the Consequences of Non-Treatment?

There are several negative consequences of non handling bipolar upset. The following tabular array shows the entire figure of people in a certain state of affairs versus the figure of people in each state of affairs with an untreated depression upset. The statistics used to make Table 2 are from the 1998 MacArthur Foundation Study.

Bibliography

Mentions

1. APA Online. & # 8220 ; Manic-Depressive/Bipolar Disorder. & # 8221 ; 1992. 20 April 2000

2. MacArthur Foundation. & # 8220 ; Consequences of Non-Treatment. & # 8221 ; 1998. 20 April 2000.

3. Microsoft Encarta. & # 8220 ; Depression-Psychology. & # 8221 ; 1999: CD-ROM. Microsoft.

4. Microsoft Encarta. & # 8220 ; Kraepelin, Emil. & # 8221 ; 1999. CD-ROM. Microsoft.

5. National Institute of Mental Health. & # 8220 ; Bipolar Disorder Research Fact Sheet. & # 8221 ; 2000. 20 April 2000.

6. OnHealth.com. & # 8220 ; Bipolar Disorder Glossary. & # 8221 ; 1998. 20 April 2000.

7. & # 8220 ; Webster & # 8217 ; s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. & # 8221 ; Springfield: Merriam-Webster Inc. Pr. ; 1984. Pgs 153, 723.