Definition:
Manic depression, bipolar covers a wide range of mood disorders. It is signified by the presence of one or more abnormally elevated mood episodes. This occurrence is clinically termed as mania, mostly associated with bipolar disorders.
It is also referred as “manic-depressive disorder” but now changes into bipolar affective disorder, which involves episodes of alternating manic-depressive symptoms and good overly excited thoughts.
There are 3 subdivisions of this disorder: bipolar I & II and cyclothymia depending on the type and gravity of the mood and thought episodes encounters.
Diagnosis:
Self-reported incidents by the patient and family members as well as clinical observations (secondary signs) noticed by a medical practitioner are considered as bases for diagnosis of the disorder. The symptoms observed from the patient should meet the criteria established before final diagnosis can be achieved.
Treatment:
Manic depression, bipolar disorder cannot be cured but proper management approach can be carried out including pharmacological and psychological techniques.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms of bipolar manic disorder usually become noticeable during early adulthood. The following are some of the significant manifestations of manic disorder, bipolar:
* Excessive and exaggerated mood alterations (mood swings).
* Cycles between feeling extremely good and depression.
* Continual changes in sleep and activity.
Causes:
There is no single cause for the disorder; however there are many factors that lead to the development of this disorder. The cause is not either environmental or physiological factors alone; it involves multi-factors to produce the illness.
There are also studies that show that manic depression tend to run in families; it can be inherited and individuals with family history of bipolar spectrum diseases are at a greater risk of developing this mood disorder.
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