Bipolar disorder is a highly difficult mental illness to deal with. One reason for this is because it is often either mistreated, or goes untreated altogether. Studies have shown that nearly 75 percent of the people with bipolar disorder never get it treated. This can lead to any number of problems, with the patient’s suffering and decline chief among them. The symptoms of bipolar disorder are the key to diagnosis.
One of the primary symptoms of bipolar disorder is severe mood swings. These range from manic to depressive, and they are rarely in between. These mood swings can cause a person with bipolar disorder to do things that they would never ordinarily do, such as abuse drugs or have extramarital affairs.
Some of the bipolar symptoms of a manic episode with bipolar disorder include extreme happiness or euphoria, racing thoughts, constant and uncontrollable talking, grandiosity, lack of sleep, bursts of energy, and a complete lack of self control. This lack of self control manifests itself in many ways to include gambling, speeding, sexual chance taking and many other dangerous avenues.
The symptoms of a depressive stage of bipolar disorder include severe depression and self esteem issues, sadness, feeling lonely, apathy, lack of energy, lack of concentration, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts or tendencies. Men in particular seem to be highly susceptible to the suicidal thoughts with bipolar disorder. Any individual with suicidal thoughts should be watched closely and taken seriously. Never underestimate the situation or take it lightly. This can be a fatal and tragic mistake with mental illness.
If you notice these symptoms in yourself or in your loved one, you should contact a doctor right away. Fortunately, there are some decent treatments out there for this insidious disease. Bipolar disorder does not have to ruin your life or that of a loved one.
The person with bipolar disorder is not likely to recognize that they have a problem and are often resistant to treatment. For this reason, it is vital that loved ones take the lead in pursuing help for victims of this disorder. They often see nothing wrong with their actions as it seems normal to them in their reality. If you see these actions and symptoms of bipolar disorder, you must contact someone for help. Bipolar disorder left unchecked can cause serious problems that are not likely to get better on their own. It is a progressive disease both medically and socially.
There are a number of medicines that are prescribed to combat bipolar disorder to include anti-depressants and sometimes lithium is prescribed. These medicines are far from enough by themselves, however. Usually someone with bipolar disorder benefits greatly from behavioral therapy as well. These include cognitive therapy, interpersonal therapy and even social therapy of different kinds. The combination of therapy and medicine is usually quite effective at controlling bipolar disorder to some degree.
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Comment by Melissa Miles — October 21, 2009 @ 12:06 am