Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric disorder which is defined by significant and recurring disturbances in a person's mood. The moods scale from extreme depression all the way to outright mania (Morris, Maisto, 2002). Bipolar disorder has been further divided into the following subdivisions, Bipolar 1, Bipolar 2, and Cyclothymia. Both Bipolar I and II have the chance of presenting with rapid cycling from one extreme mood to the other. The name of the illness refers to the cycling between high and low episodes. Manic Depression also refers to the same illness but was replaced with the new name due to the stigma that surrounds the combination of the terms manic and depression (Bipolar Disorder, 2007).

The symptoms of Bipolar disorder typically appear in young adulthood. In fact, the peak time for the onset of the disorder is somewhere between late adolescence to early adulthood. The onset of the disease can cause serious disruption in a young adult's social development. Doctor's diagnose the illness based on a combination of observed behaviors and patient reported symptoms. The episodes of bipolar disorder are associated with distress and disruption. An outright organic cause for the disorder has not yet been found. Some of the contributing factors appear to be neurobiology, environment, and genetics (Bipolar Disorder, 2007).

The best way to describe the cyclic nature of the illness is to say that the person periodically exhibits elevated states of euphoria, or mania as well as depression. Most people experience a number of the episodes, on average 0.4 to 0.7 per year. Each episode generally lasts 3 to 6 months. There are different levels in the so called bipolar spectrum. A bipolar spectrum is often used to help understand the many different levels of the disorder. Some people experience severe anxiety when they are in a manic state, while others experience euphoric and grandiose feelings (Bipolar Disorder, 2007).

In order for a person to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, they must first undergo a comprehensive history and physical exam by a physician. There is not a biological test that can be used to diagnose bipolar disorder. Instead the physician depends on a combination of self reported experiences and secondary signs observed by family, friends, and even the physician. There will be some blood work done in order to rule out some biological illnesses that may present with psychological symptoms. During the screening process, it's very important to avoid misdiagnosing the patient as simply being depressed. This can be tricky since depression is most often the symptom that the patient complains about. The wrong diagnosis can cause the patient to be put on the wrong medication. Antidepressants, which are medications given to treat depression can trigger a "switch" in the patient