SFDBSA
provides support groups for people diagnosed with
either bipolar disorder or clinical depression. The
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), our
parent organization, reports that bipolar disorder
(also known as manic depression) is a treatable
illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought,
energy and behavior. It is not a character flaw or a
sign of personal weakness. Bipolar disorder is
also known as manic depression because a person’s
mood can alternate between the "poles" mania
(highs) and depression (lows). This change in mood or
"mood swing" can last for hours, days weeks
or months.
Symptoms
of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder differs significantly from clinical
depression, although the symptoms for the depressive
phase of the illness are similar. Most people who have
bipolar disorder talk about experiencing
"highs" and "lows" – the highs
are periods of mania, the lows periods of depression.
These swings can be severe, ranging from extreme
energy to deep despair. The severity of the mood
swings and the way they disrupt normal life activities
distinguish bipolar mood episodes from ordinary mood
changes.
Symptoms
of the High or Manic Phase of Bipolar Disorder
- Increased
physical and mental activity and energy
- Heightened
mood, exaggerated optimism and self-confidence
- Excessive
irritability, aggressive behavior
- Decreased
need for sleep without experiencing fatigue
- Grandiose
delusions, inflated sense of self-importance
- Racing
speech, racing thoughts, flight of ideas
- Impulsiveness,
poor judgment, distractibility
- Reckless
behavior
- In
the most severe cases, delusions and
hallucinations
DBSA
reports that many people do not seek medical attention
during periods of mania because they feel manic
symptoms (increased energy, heightened mood, increased
sexual drive, etc.) have a positive impact on them.
However, when symptoms of mania are left untreated,
they can lead to illegal or life-threatening
situations because mania often involves impaired
judgment and reckless behavior.
Symptoms
of the Low or Depressive Phase of Bipolar Disorder
- Prolonged
sadness or unexplained crying spells
- Significant
changes in appetite and sleep patterns
- Irritability,
anger, worry, agitation, anxiety
- Pessimism,
indifference
- Loss
of energy, persistent lethargy
- Low
self esteem
- Feelings
of guilt, worthlessness
- Inability
to concentrate, indecisiveness
- Inability
to take pleasure in former interests, social
withdrawal
- Unexplained
aches and pains
- Sense
of impending doom or disaster
- Recurring
thoughts of death or suicide
Types
of Bipolar Disorder
The following information on
types of bipolar disorder is from the Depression and
Bipolar Support Alliance. Patterns and severity
of symptoms, or episodes, of highs and lows, determine
different types of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar
I disorder is
characterized by one or more manic episodes or mixed
episodes (symptoms of both a mania and a depression
occurring nearly every day for at least 1 week) and
one or more major depressive episodes. Bipolar I
disorder is the most severe form of the illness marked
by extreme manic episodes.
Bipolar
II disorder is
characterized by one or more depressive episodes
accompanied by at least one hypomanic episode.
Hypomanic episodes have symptoms similar to manic
episodes but are less severe, but must be clearly
different from a person’s non-depressed mood. For
some, hypomanic episodes are not severe enough to
cause notable problems in social activities or work.
However, for others, they can be troublesome.
Cyclothymic
disorder is
characterized by chronic fluctuating moods involving
periods of hypomania and depression. The periods of
both depressive and hypomanic symptoms are shorter,
less severe, and do not occur with regularity as
experienced with bipolar II or I. However, these mood
swings can impair social interactions and work. Many,
but not all, people with cyclothymia develop a more
severe form of bipolar illness.
There
is also a form of the illness called bipolar
disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) that
does not fit in to one of the above definitions.
Key
Facts About Bipolar Disorder
- According
to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance,
bipolar disorder affects 2.5 million adult
Americans sometime during their lifetime.
- While
people can be afflicted anytime during their
lifetime, a typical age of onset for bipolar
disorder is in the range of 18 to 22 years. Many
of our group members believe they exhibited
symptoms at even earlier ages.
- Bipolar
disorder is one of the most treatable mental
illnesses, with proven treatment strategies
available for people afflicted with the illness.
When properly treated, 90 percent of people with
mood disorders can be helped.
- Two
out of three people with mood disorders do not get
proper treatment because their symptoms are not
recognized, blamed on personal weakness, or
misdiagnosed.
- On
average, people with bipolar disorder see 3.3
doctors before receiving a correct diagnosis
- On
average, it takes eight years to be correctly
diagnosed for bipolar disorder.
- Fifteen
to twenty percent of people with untreated
bipolar disorder commit suicide.
Treatment
- Many
bipolar members of SFDBSA employ a mix of
proper medication, good therapy, and peer support
and education to manage their bipolar illness.
- Medication
regimes can vary widely, and many of our members
take a combination of meds to treat their
disorder.
- Mood
stabilizers such as Lithium, Depakote, or Tegretol
are typically used to smooth out the highs and
lows and achieve greater mood stability. Newer
mood stabilizers include Neurontin and Lamictal.
- Anti-mania
or anti-psychotic drugs are often used to control
manic or psychotic tendencies. Newer meds in this
category range from Zyprexa, Seroquel, and
Risperidol, to Geodon and Abilify.
- While
depressive episodes can be a feature of bipolar
disorder, many of our bipolar members cannot
tolerate conventional anti-depressants such as the
SSRIs (Proxac, Zoloft, Paxal) or Effexor due to
their risk of precipitating a manic episode. A
number of bipolar folks are now using Wellbutrin
to treat depressive episodes due to its differing
anti-depressant action, short half-life, and
therefore theoretically better manageability if it
precipitates a hypomanic episode.
- Alternative
medications, such as Omega-3 fatty acids, have
also shown promise for treatment of bipolar
disorder.
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