Cause Of Bipolar

Posted on July 4, 2010 by


Many sufferers and their families want to know what is the cause of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a chronic brain disease. We’re not talking about a simple change of mood. All humans experience day by day changes of mood which is totally normal. When talking about bipolar disorder we speak of chronic episodes where the person does not respond normally to any situation and their emotions are usually exaggerated. The victim can be too low or too high. When low, he can be in a depressed mood and may be in bed for days, losing interest in things in life and in the worst cases even takes the person to suicidal thoughts. The causes of bipolar disorder aren’t specific, but researchers have found that there is a strong possibility of a childhood trauma that can strongly impacted them but there is no major evidence of that conclusion.

 

Unfortunately, this disease develops in adolescence or early adulthood, although it can affect anyone from children to seniors. Fortunately, a person who is medically treated can live peacefully and happily with the disease, although it has no cure it can be controlled with proper attention and care from a specialist. Studies show that the deficiency of lithium carbonate can be the cause, when this neurotransmitter is not properly distributed through the nerves in the brain. This hasn’t yet be totally proven but researchers are conducting studies to strengthen their argument.
The disease is structured by two chronic conditions; a bipolar depression, which is when a person is down with acute symptoms of depression such as lack of interest, sadness, acute sleep, insomnia, fatigue and others. In addition we have manic depression disorder when the patient shows over-taking emotions. On many occasions the person turns to be aggressive. All the symptoms and consequences of this disease lead the person to a state of acute instability, because they are aware of their condition. Once a person is aware of its dramatic and sudden changes of mood they should seek assistance quickly otherwise not only will they be affected but also family relations and socially. Many scientists say there is a biological cause and that there are genes involved in the development of it. In fact it is not one gene but several genes that cause inherited disease. There are statistics that prove when in a family with a bipolar disorder case, some other family members also inevitably have the condition.

Although there is no cause for bipolar disorder, we can say that is the most important cause of disability worldwide, since a person with this condition is unable to successfully function in life. This is why early detection is such an important issue. It is very important that relatives and people close to the patient seek help and information as soon as possible. There are support groups that can provide advice as this condition is one that affects not only the patient but also those around him. Dealing with someone who’s not sure how he’ll react to different situations is very complicated, difficult and sometimes even frustrating. Although we are unable to pinpoint specific cause of bipolar disorder we should be thankful there are medications treatments and therapies to help the survival of these people with the disease.

 


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Bipolar Alternative Treatment

Posted on July 4, 2010 by



If the traditional methods for treating bipolar disorder don’t work for you there are also various bipolar alternative treatments available. It’s important to note however, that should you be looking at alternative therapies do not abandon your current medication. Alternative treatments are ideal when working together with your medication and could ultimately lead to a reduction in the doses of your powerful medication. The following complementary therapeutic tips, home remedies and alternative treatments have been found to be useful to many people:

Sufficient sleep – this is really very simple but it’s impact can be greatest in terms of combating bipolar disorders. Regulating your sleep is important. Lack of sleep is normally an indication of an upcoming manic cycle while over-sleeping can be an indication of depression so finding a middle ground is of paramount importance.

Reduce stress – undertaking exercise or taking part in hobbies you enjoy can help. As can breathing exercises and visualization techniques (imagining yourself somewhere peaceful and quiet should help).

Meditation – this seems to help many people suffering from bipolar ii symptoms as well as bipolar I. Two techniques said to be particularly beneficial are mindfulness meditation and motionless meditation. This hasn’t been scientifically proven to work to combat bipolar so give it a try and see if it works for you.

Self-awareness – this is an important tool for any sufferer. By being self-aware one can distinguish between the symptoms of bipolar and other issues. By finding self-awareness you can concentrate on other issues in your life to get yourself into more of a normal routine and lifestyle.

Coffee Cruda homeopathic remedy – for those having trouble sleeping, this treatment is very effective with excellent feedback from users. Despite having the word coffee in it this truly is for insomnia plus it has no side effects.

Massage therapy – this works by releasing the bipolar suffers tension by rubbing and kneading their body thus relieving stress.

Light therapy – also known as phototherapy/light box therapy. This involves getting exposed to full-spectrum bright lights directly onto the eyes. Sessions range from 30 minutes to two hours depending on the severity of the case and the light strength exposed to.

Yoga – as yoga teaches breathing and relaxation techniques it should help combat depression. For those of a religious nature chanting may also help.

Change of diet – this is one of the main natural remedies. For someone who has given into a lifestyle of eating unhealthily breaking the habit can be difficult. Many specialists recommend certain types of vitamins, minerals and herbs to treat ones depression or anxiety.

Eliminating alcohol – it is believed that between 30%-60% of individuals with bipolar disorder also have issues with substance abuse and alcoholism. It goes without saying that eliminating these harmful substances should help somewhat towards fighting your cycles of depression.

These alternative bipolar treatments can be a good addition to your prescribed medications but not as a replacement. It’s also important to notify your doctor which treatments you are using or are thinking of using. This is so that the doctor can tell you if the bipolar alternative treatment interacts negatively with your medication.

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Treating Bipolar Disorder – The Earlier The Better

Posted on July 4, 2010 by



Although bipolar disorder is a condition in which people have ups and downs out of proportion, or totally unrelated to the events of their life, there are ways of treating bipolar disorder. These mood swings affect thoughts, feelings, physical health and performance. Suffering from bipolar disorder is not ones fault or is as a result of a weak personality or being unstable. It’s a mental illness that has medical treatments available which can genuinely help most people. People can live with the disease many years without knowing it because of an incorrect diagnosis. Treating bipolar disorder at an early stage is an important key to controlling it’s symptoms.

Bipolar disorder usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood, although it can sometimes begin during childhood or as late as 40 or 50 years. When someone with over 50 years has a first manic episode, it is likely that the cause is a problem that mimics bipolar disorder as a neurological disease or the effects of drugs, alcohol or certain medications. Mania is diagnosed if ones elevated mood lasts at least a week and at the same time experience three or more additional symptoms. Depression is diagnosed if the discouragement or lack of interest or pleasure occur every day for at least two weeks and is accompanied by five or more other symptoms.

 

There is evidence that the more episodes of ups and downs that a person has, the more difficult it is to treat the episodes that follow later. Improper handling of how to treat the disease could be a complication. A person misdiagnosed with depression only in place of bipolar disorder may incorrectly receive antidepressants without anti-manic medication. These can cause manic episodes and have the general course of the disease worse.

Treatment for bipolar disorder is divided into two stages. First the acute treatment phase, aimed at ending this manic (manic depressive disorder is discussed elsewhere on this site), hypomanic, depressive, or mixed moods. Secondly, we have preventive treatment where medication is administered long term to prevent future episodes.

Treatments for bipolar disorder includes:

  • Medication: Prescription for nearly all patients during acute phase and prevention.
  • Education: Crucial in helping patients and families to learn how to better manage bipolar disorder and prevent complications.
  • Psychotherapy: A great help for many patients and families in resolving problems and deal with stress, should not be used alone, but rather should be combined with medication (except for special situations such as pregnancy).
  • Electroconvulsive therapy can be effective for both mania and depression when medications fail.

There isn’t any guideline for preventing or use to treat this disease. For the treatment of bipolar disorder there is currently available in the marketplace a new drug, based on controlled-release lithium, intended to stabilize and control the symptoms of the disease. The controlled-release lithium is the only mood stabilizer that has shown to decrease the rate of suicide in bipolar disorder patients. Lithium is a drug that has more than 30 years of clinical experience. According to placebo-controlled clinical studies in acute mania, this drug has a confirmed response of up to 70%. In addition to these therapies for treating bipolar disorder, many people also use complementary bipolar alternative treatments to aid their recovery.

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Bipolar II Symptoms – What To Look For

Posted on July 4, 2010 by



Bipolar ii symptoms are many although there is one chief protagonist amongst these. Bipolar disorder has many variations of which bipolar 2 is one of them. We will mention only the bipolar disorder ii variation which does not have “mania symptoms” to make it stand out or easily recognizable. Depression is the main symptom of Bipolar ii. Bipolar II disorder is distinguished from bipolar I by the lack of one or more manic episodes or mixed with a reference to how the individual reacts. The reality is that in both cases the symptoms are the same. Bipolar ii disorder is one of 4 types of mood disorders. Patients will typically have a defect in the way their brain handles certain neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that nerve impulses and go between neurons, low levels of chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. While high levels of that substance causes manic depression, characterized by the symptoms that are quite the opposite. Showing the patient’s emotions and exaggerated greatness, in bipolar disorder ii symptoms are rather slow. This is the low state of the disease. Some symptoms may be showing tiredness, sleeping too little or no interest in everyday tasks and in the worst cases thoughts of suicide.

If the patient experiences any symptoms that indicate they may be suffering from this disease it is very important to seek information and immediately see a doctor specializing in mental disorders. Since it is a chronic mental illness, if it is treated on time it can be controlled. Unfortunately it is a condition that has no cure and many people can live with it without being properly diagnosed. The wrong diagnosis of a condition as serious as manic depressive disorder can lead to serious implications thus complicating the control of the disease. This condition is so serious that in the worst case scenario it can lead to suicide (God forbid). The reality is that there is a debate among experts in terms of whether the cause is hereditary or not. If so there are some genes involved. Genetic or not there is simply no specific reason for someone being afflicted with this illness. While others argue that any physical or emotional trauma such as loss, interruption of an important relationship or serious accidental injury, may precede the onset of bipolar disorder. However, bipolar disorder is a common occurrence with no identifiable predisposition factors.

 

It’s worth mentioning that although it is a condition that can affect anyone regardless of gender, race or age, in a large number of cases they tend to develop in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. It is suspected that a significant number of children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the US suffer from bipolar illness.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, one third of the 3.4 million children and adolescents with depression in the United States could, in fact, be experiencing an incipient bipolar disorder. However, the disease manifests itself differently in children. Children usually have an ongoing mood disorder which is a mix of mania and depression. This rapid and severe cycle produces chronic irritability and few clear periods of normality between episodes. In school the child could be quiet and polite one moment and then be disruptive and threatening in a short space of time with no provocation. This can lead to the child being labelled as a “bad kid” when in fact they are merely displaying typical bipolar ii symptoms so it’s important to get medical advice immediately to curb the volatile moods they are experiencing.


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Bipolar II Disorder – The Lesser Of Two Evils?

Posted on July 1, 2010 by



The essential feature of bipolar II disorder is a clinical course characterized by the appearance of one or more Major Depressive Episodes accompanied by at least one hypomanic episode. To truly understand bipolar ii disorder first we must know the definition of what a hypomanic episode is. A hypomanic episode is defined as a period where there is an abnormal mood, expansive or irritable feelings lasting at least four days. This period of abnormal mood must be accompanied by at least another three symptoms from a list that includes:

 

  • inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
  • sleeplessness
  • verbose speech
  • flight of ideas
  • distractibility
  • increased intentional activities or psychomotor agitation
  • excessive involvement in pleasurable activities with high potential for painful consequences.

 

In younger people, hypomanic episodes may be associated with antisocial behavior, school failure and substance abuse. In general these mood symptoms can cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.

The presence of a manic or mixed episode disables the diagnosis of bipolar 2 disorder. The diagnosis is based on the experiences reported by the patient himself as well as abnormalities in behavior reported by family members, friends or co-workers. This is followed by secondary signs observed by a psychiatrist, nurse, social worker, clinical psychologist or other qualified professional through a clinical evaluation. There is a list of criteria that must be met for someone to receive the diagnosis. These depend on both the presence and duration of certain signs and symptoms.

 

There is currently no cure for bipolar II disorder, however it can be controlled. The goal of treatment is to effectively control the course of the disease over the long term which may involve the treatment of emerging symptoms. To achieve this, using pharmacological and psychological techniques, drug treatment is based on the use of mood stabilizers and the only psychological techniques that have proved to be effective is psychoeducation.

When talking about bipolarity we also have to mention manic depression. This refers to the mood of a person, alternating between the “poles” of mania (highs) and depression (lows). Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy and ability to function in a person. Manic-depressive illness or bipolar disorder, affects both men and women. Although it may begin at any age, it usually begins in late adolescence. It affects people of all ages, races, ethnic groups and social classes. It seems to have a genetic link that runs in families. Unfortunately, besides affecting the lives of those suffering from this disease it also has the potential to devastate the lives of those who care for and those in the immediate family circle. Finally we’ll have to mention the cyclothymic disorder. It is a mild form of bipolar disorder, in which a person has swings in mood ranging from mild or moderate depression to euphoria and excitement but stays connected to reality. Although the changes in mood are irregular and rapid the cause of this disorder is less severe than in bipolarity. Unlike bipolar II disorder, periods of hypomania often fail to become truly manic and is thus less severe.

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