Bipolar Disorder And Its Symptoms

Patients with bipolar disorder may experience two types of intense emotional conflicts namely mania and depression where the manic state can be identified by feelings of irritability or euphoria with several symptoms of agitation, lack of sleep, surges of energy etc; while with symptoms of depression, the patients tends to feel hopeless and sad with loss of energy though the symptoms may differ from person to person.

 Bipolar disorder, which is a chronic illness, has recurring episodes of mania as well as depression which can last for a day or even months and the mental ailments may cause unusual dramatic imbalance in energy, mood and the ability to think clearly. Incidents of high manic and low depressive moods may occur at irregular intervals and the symptoms of bipolar disorder may end with negative impact on the patient with damaged relationship, poor school performances or job and even to the extent of suicide.

Bipolar disorder can be treated and the patients can be helped to lead a normal life. This disorder often occurs during the teens or adult years and almost half of these cases begin before the age of twenty five while some of them have their first symptoms during childhood and others may develop them in the later stage of their life.

Though patients with bipolar disorder may experience two types of intense emotional conflicts, this disorder is not easy to trace at the onset and the symptoms may seem to be a different problem or a minor problem due to which some people tend to suffer for a long time before they are diagnosed of the ailment and undergo treatment for the same.

At times the patient suffering from severe episodes of mania depression also tends to have psychotic symptoms like hallucinations or delusions which may reflect on the moods of the person. Examples could be, when a person of psychotic symptoms with manic episode may be of the belief that they are rich and famous, while a person with depressive episode may believe that they are ruined or have committed a crime.

This could result in wrongly diagnosing bipolar disorder of psychotic symptoms as schizophrenia which is another mental illness linked with delusions and hallucinations. As bipolar disorder patient gets familiar with their illness they begin to understand their own pattern of behavior and if they recognize these signs and take timely treatment they would be helping themselves in preventing relapses and the treatment should be continuous.

 Recovery may involve a variety of perspectives which may include traditional element of physical health as well as aspects which may extend beyond medication while maintaining and attaining physical health. This recovery aspect is very unique to the patient and while there are several definitions of recovery like medical and clinical, some in the context of community and successful living though the most important aspect of recovery is that recovery is a process and not an event.

If a bipolar patient under treatment tends to develop any side effects from medication, they can seek the help of the medical professional at the earliest where a different or a change in the dosage could be prescribed by the physician since sudden stopping of the medication may lead to rebound or also worsen the ailment.