Bipolar disorder is treated through medication, most commonly. Most doctors suggest a combination of medication and psychosocial treatment.In most cases, bipolar disorder is much better controlled if treatment is continuous than if it is on and off. But even when there are no breaks in treatment, mood changes can occur and should be reported immediately to the doctor.The doctor may be able to prevent a full-blown episode by making adjustments to the treatment plan. Working closely with the doctor and communicating openly about treatment concerns and options can make a difference in treatment effectiveness.
It is not only helpful for the doctor, but also for the patient, if the patient keeps a log of mood swings, how they are feeling, and day to day activities. This may allow a doctorto adjust the treament to fit the patient better.
Some medications used:
Lithium, the first mood-stabilizing medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of mania, is often very effective in controlling mania and preventing the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes.
Anticonvulsant medications, such as valproate (Depakote®) or carbamazepine (Tegretol®), also can have mood-stabilizing effects and may be especially useful for difficult-to-treat bipolar episodes. Valproate was FDA-approved in 1995 for treatment of mania.
Newer anticonvulsant medications, including lamotrigine (Lamictal®), gabapentin (Neurontin®), and topiramate (Topamax®), are being studied to determine how well they work in stabilizing mood cycles.
Anticonvulsant medications may be combined with lithium, or with each other, for maximum effect.
Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder generally are treated with lithium, but valproate and carbamazepine also are used. Researchers are evaluating the safety and efficacy of these and other psychotropic medications in children and adolescents. There is some evidence that valproate may lead to adverse hormone changes in teenage girls and polycystic ovary syndrome in women who began taking the medication before age 20.13 Therefore, young female patients taking valproate should be monitored carefully by a physician.
Monday, December 8, 2008
What is the Cause of Bipolar Disorder?
Scientists are learning about the possible causes of bipolar disorder through several kinds of studies. Most scientists agree that there is no single cause for bipolar disorder,but many factors act together to produce the illness.
Because bipolar disorder tends to run in families, researchers have been searching for specific genes—the microscopic “building blocks” of DNA inside all cells that influence how the body and mind work and grow, passed down through generations, that may increase a person’s chance of developing the illness. But genes are not the only reasons for Bipoloar Disorder to occur in a person's life. Studies of identical twins, who share all the same genes, indicate that both genes and other factors play a role in bipolar disorder. If bipolar disorder were caused entirely by genes, then the identical twin of someone with the illness would always develop the illness, and research has shown that this is not the case. But if one twin has bipolar disorder, the other twin is more likely to develop the illness than is another sibling.6
In addition, findings from gene research suggest that bipolar disorder, like other mental illnesses, does not occur because of a single gene. It is likely that many different genes act together, and in combination with other factors of the person or the person’s environment, to cause bipolar disorder. Finding these genes, each of which contributes only a small amount toward the vulnerability to bipolar disorder, has been extremely difficult. But scientists expect that the advanced research tools now being used will lead to these discoveries and to new and better treatments for bipolar disorder.
Brain-imaging studies are helping scientists learn what goes wrong in the brain to produce bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses.New brain-imaging techniques allow researchers to take pictures of the living brain at work, to examine its structure and activity, without the need for surgery or other invasive procedures. These techniques include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). There is evidence from imaging studies that the brains of people with bipolar disorder may differ from the brains of healthy individuals. As the differences are more clearly identified and defined through research, scientists will gain a better understanding of the underlying causes of the illness, and eventually may be able to predict which types of treatment will work most effectively.
Because bipolar disorder tends to run in families, researchers have been searching for specific genes—the microscopic “building blocks” of DNA inside all cells that influence how the body and mind work and grow, passed down through generations, that may increase a person’s chance of developing the illness. But genes are not the only reasons for Bipoloar Disorder to occur in a person's life. Studies of identical twins, who share all the same genes, indicate that both genes and other factors play a role in bipolar disorder. If bipolar disorder were caused entirely by genes, then the identical twin of someone with the illness would always develop the illness, and research has shown that this is not the case. But if one twin has bipolar disorder, the other twin is more likely to develop the illness than is another sibling.6
In addition, findings from gene research suggest that bipolar disorder, like other mental illnesses, does not occur because of a single gene. It is likely that many different genes act together, and in combination with other factors of the person or the person’s environment, to cause bipolar disorder. Finding these genes, each of which contributes only a small amount toward the vulnerability to bipolar disorder, has been extremely difficult. But scientists expect that the advanced research tools now being used will lead to these discoveries and to new and better treatments for bipolar disorder.
Brain-imaging studies are helping scientists learn what goes wrong in the brain to produce bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses.New brain-imaging techniques allow researchers to take pictures of the living brain at work, to examine its structure and activity, without the need for surgery or other invasive procedures. These techniques include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). There is evidence from imaging studies that the brains of people with bipolar disorder may differ from the brains of healthy individuals. As the differences are more clearly identified and defined through research, scientists will gain a better understanding of the underlying causes of the illness, and eventually may be able to predict which types of treatment will work most effectively.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
What Are the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar Disorder causes one's moods to change from an "overly high" happy attitude to a sad, hopless, and depressive mentality and back again. Between these moods swings there are periods og "normal mood". While one is having sever mood swings it causes changes in there energy levels. The changes of mood are called episodes of mania and depression.
- - This is a main way that Depression and Bipolar Disorder are connected. When a Bipolar patient is at an extreme low, they are in depression. It is possible to for them to be suicidal. Those who are depressed are not neccessarily Bipolar and vise versa. Although the patient is not always depressed, both disorders are are imbalances in the brain. Also patients with Bipolar Disorder may only have short episodes of depression.
Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:
Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
Excessively “high,” overly good, euphoric mood
Extreme irritability
Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
Distractibility, can’t concentrate well
Little sleep needed
Unrealistic beliefs in one’s abilities and powers
Poor judgment
Spending sprees
A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
Increased sexual drive
Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
Denial that anything is wrong
A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.
Signs and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:
Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being “slowed down”
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Restlessness or irritability
Sleeping too much, or can’t sleep
Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
A depressive episode is diagnosed if five or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.
Hypomania is a less severe but still a level of mania that one needs to be concious of. With hypomania one may feel good and may even be associated with good functioning and enhanced productivity. Even those who are close to the patient realize the person is having mood swings, such as those of Bipolar Disorder,it is common that he/she denies that anything is wrong. It is possible for hypomania to become a form of severe mania if the patient does not receive proper treatment. Also with out proper treatment hypomania could turn into depression.
Sometimes, severe episodes of mania or depression include symptoms of psychotic,also known as psychosis,symptoms. Psychosis is a loss of contact with reality. Common psychotic symptoms are hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing the presence of things not actually there) and delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical reasoning or explained by a person’s usual cultural concepts). Psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder tend to reflect the extreme mood state at the time. For example, delusions of grandiosity, such as believing one is the President or has special powers or wealth, may occur during mania; delusions of guilt or worthlessness, like they believe that they are not worth anything, or has committed some terrible crime, may appear during depression. People with bipolar disorder who have these symptoms are sometimes incorrectly diagnosed as having schizophrenia, another severe mental illness.
It may be helpful to think of the various mood states in bipolar disorder as a spectrum or a continuous cycle. There is a severe depression, a moderate depression, and a low level of depression which is known as "The Blues. The Blues is when the low loevel of depression is shot-lived.Dysthymia is when a mood swing is chronic. Then there is normal or balanced mood, above which comes hypomania (mild to moderate mania), and then severe mania.
However, for some people, symptoms of mania and depression may occur together in what is called a mixed bipolar state. Symptoms of a mixed state often include agitation, trouble sleeping, significant change in appetite, psychosis, and suicidal thinking. A person may have a very sad, hopeless mood while at the same time feeling extremely energized.
Bipolar disorder may appear to be a problem other than mental illness. As an example, alcohol or drug abuse, poor school or work performance, or strained interpersonal relationships can be affected. Such problems may be signs of an underlying mood disorder.
Suicide
Some people with bipolar disorder become suicidal. Anyone who is thinking about committing suicide needs immediate attention from a mental health professional or a physician. Anyone who talks about suicide should be taken seriously. Risk for suicide appears to be higher earlier in the course of the illness. Therefore, recognizing bipolar disorder early and learning how best to manage it may decrease the risk of death by suicide.
Signs and symptoms that may accompany suicidal feelings include:
talking about feeling suicidal or wanting to die
feeling hopeless, that nothing will ever change or get better
feeling helpless, that nothing one does makes any difference
feeling like a burden to family and friends
abusing alcohol or drugs
putting affairs in order (e.g., organizing finances or giving away possessions to prepare for one’s death)
writing a suicide note
putting oneself in harm’s way, or in situations where there is a danger of being killed
Those with bipolar disorder that feel suicidal can be helped, but they must get the help immediately.
Bipolar Disorder causes one's moods to change from an "overly high" happy attitude to a sad, hopless, and depressive mentality and back again. Between these moods swings there are periods og "normal mood". While one is having sever mood swings it causes changes in there energy levels. The changes of mood are called episodes of mania and depression.
- - This is a main way that Depression and Bipolar Disorder are connected. When a Bipolar patient is at an extreme low, they are in depression. It is possible to for them to be suicidal. Those who are depressed are not neccessarily Bipolar and vise versa. Although the patient is not always depressed, both disorders are are imbalances in the brain. Also patients with Bipolar Disorder may only have short episodes of depression.
Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:
Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
Excessively “high,” overly good, euphoric mood
Extreme irritability
Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
Distractibility, can’t concentrate well
Little sleep needed
Unrealistic beliefs in one’s abilities and powers
Poor judgment
Spending sprees
A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
Increased sexual drive
Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
Denial that anything is wrong
A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.
Signs and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:
Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being “slowed down”
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Restlessness or irritability
Sleeping too much, or can’t sleep
Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
A depressive episode is diagnosed if five or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.
Hypomania is a less severe but still a level of mania that one needs to be concious of. With hypomania one may feel good and may even be associated with good functioning and enhanced productivity. Even those who are close to the patient realize the person is having mood swings, such as those of Bipolar Disorder,it is common that he/she denies that anything is wrong. It is possible for hypomania to become a form of severe mania if the patient does not receive proper treatment. Also with out proper treatment hypomania could turn into depression.
Sometimes, severe episodes of mania or depression include symptoms of psychotic,also known as psychosis,symptoms. Psychosis is a loss of contact with reality. Common psychotic symptoms are hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing the presence of things not actually there) and delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical reasoning or explained by a person’s usual cultural concepts). Psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder tend to reflect the extreme mood state at the time. For example, delusions of grandiosity, such as believing one is the President or has special powers or wealth, may occur during mania; delusions of guilt or worthlessness, like they believe that they are not worth anything, or has committed some terrible crime, may appear during depression. People with bipolar disorder who have these symptoms are sometimes incorrectly diagnosed as having schizophrenia, another severe mental illness.
It may be helpful to think of the various mood states in bipolar disorder as a spectrum or a continuous cycle. There is a severe depression, a moderate depression, and a low level of depression which is known as "The Blues. The Blues is when the low loevel of depression is shot-lived.Dysthymia is when a mood swing is chronic. Then there is normal or balanced mood, above which comes hypomania (mild to moderate mania), and then severe mania.
However, for some people, symptoms of mania and depression may occur together in what is called a mixed bipolar state. Symptoms of a mixed state often include agitation, trouble sleeping, significant change in appetite, psychosis, and suicidal thinking. A person may have a very sad, hopeless mood while at the same time feeling extremely energized.
Bipolar disorder may appear to be a problem other than mental illness. As an example, alcohol or drug abuse, poor school or work performance, or strained interpersonal relationships can be affected. Such problems may be signs of an underlying mood disorder.
Suicide
Some people with bipolar disorder become suicidal. Anyone who is thinking about committing suicide needs immediate attention from a mental health professional or a physician. Anyone who talks about suicide should be taken seriously. Risk for suicide appears to be higher earlier in the course of the illness. Therefore, recognizing bipolar disorder early and learning how best to manage it may decrease the risk of death by suicide.
Signs and symptoms that may accompany suicidal feelings include:
talking about feeling suicidal or wanting to die
feeling hopeless, that nothing will ever change or get better
feeling helpless, that nothing one does makes any difference
feeling like a burden to family and friends
abusing alcohol or drugs
putting affairs in order (e.g., organizing finances or giving away possessions to prepare for one’s death)
writing a suicide note
putting oneself in harm’s way, or in situations where there is a danger of being killed
Those with bipolar disorder that feel suicidal can be helped, but they must get the help immediately.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. Every person has their "ups and downs", but they are much worse for those who have Bipolar Disorder. The "ups and downs" of one who is affected by Bipolar Disorder can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. The upside of Bipolar Disorder is that it can be treated.
About 5.7 million American adults or about 2.6 percent of the population are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder every year. Bipolar Disorder is a long-term illness, but sometimes it is not diagnosed for many years. Those who are Bipolar may have symptoms at a young age, but they are not diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Others, develop this disorder later in life.
Bipolar Disorder is a serious but treatable disease.
About 5.7 million American adults or about 2.6 percent of the population are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder every year. Bipolar Disorder is a long-term illness, but sometimes it is not diagnosed for many years. Those who are Bipolar may have symptoms at a young age, but they are not diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Others, develop this disorder later in life.
Bipolar Disorder is a serious but treatable disease.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Why did I choose these disorders?
I chose to do Depression and Bipolar Disorder because they relate to me in real life. One of my best friends in the entire world has both Depression and Bipolar Disorder. For many years she has been seeing a psychiatrist. She has also been on medication to treat it. This friend of mine has had extreme highs and extreme lows. She was diagnosed with Depression at young age.About four or five years ago she was also diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. The doctors were able to diagnose this, through blood tests. Her mother also has Bipolar Disorder and that is why they decided to test my friend. I have never witnessed a major mood swing from my friend, because she has always been on medication for her Bipolar Disorder. Although I have never witnessed a mood swing, I have witnessed her extreme highs and extreme lows.
So one may ask why I chose to research both Depression and Bipolar Disorder; well, my answer would be that it is near and dear to my heart.
So one may ask why I chose to research both Depression and Bipolar Disorder; well, my answer would be that it is near and dear to my heart.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
What causes depression?
There is no known cause of depression. It is likely that Depression occurs because of genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological factors.
Research of the brain shows that Depression is a brain disorder. MRIs show that those who have Depression have a brain that look differently than those who do not have depression. The images do not reveal why or how depression occurs in a particular person, but it does show that the part of the brain that controls mood, thinking, sleep, appetite and behavior appear to function abnormally. Also, important neurotransmitters are out of balance.
Some forms of depression run in a family,which suggests a genetic like, but a person without a family history of depression can still develop it. It is thought that a probable cause of Depression is the influence of multiple genes acting together with environmental or other factors. Also the loss of loved ones, a difficult, or other saddening factors may cause one to develop depression.
Although there are signs that indicate reasons why depression occurs, there is no known cause.
Research of the brain shows that Depression is a brain disorder. MRIs show that those who have Depression have a brain that look differently than those who do not have depression. The images do not reveal why or how depression occurs in a particular person, but it does show that the part of the brain that controls mood, thinking, sleep, appetite and behavior appear to function abnormally. Also, important neurotransmitters are out of balance.
Some forms of depression run in a family,which suggests a genetic like, but a person without a family history of depression can still develop it. It is thought that a probable cause of Depression is the influence of multiple genes acting together with environmental or other factors. Also the loss of loved ones, a difficult, or other saddening factors may cause one to develop depression.
Although there are signs that indicate reasons why depression occurs, there is no known cause.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
