What is Bipolar Disorder?

A person afflicted with bipolar disorder was formerly said to be manic depressive. That term is not used as often to describe the disorder today, however. According to statistics, over two million Americans have bipolar disorder, a mental illness affecting a person’s moods and attitude.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by severe high and low mood swings. A person may be incredibly excited with rapid speech one minute and may be severely depressed and lacking energy the next. The manic stage of bipolar disorder is the high, whereas the depressive stage of bipolar disorder refers to the low. In the manic stage of bipolar disorder, the patient may become overly excited and confident, or the patient could be irritable, angry, or experience rage. In the depressive stage, the patient may be severely sad or depressed.

The disorder is often misdiagnosed because its symptoms are relatively similar to those of severe depression. The misdiagnosis often occurs because patients afflicted with bipolar disorder may spend more time in the depressive stage than in the manic stage.

Although bipolar disorder can be difficult to accurately diagnose, the condition is treatable. However, it is important to seek help as soon as symptoms develop because once a person has experienced more than a few mood swings, or cycles, the condition can become more difficult to treat. The disorder cannot be cured and is a lifelong condition. Psychotherapy and medications like lithium and Depakote are popular choices of treatment for the disorder.

There is no evidence to show that bipolar disorder can be prevented. However, seeking early treatment and maintaining a stable course of therapy can help bipolar patients immensely. A good course of treatment can mean patients may be able to live relatively normal lives with less of a chance of relapse. It is important for people to educate themselves about bipolar disorder, especially if they have a history of mental illness in their families. Learning to recognize the symptoms of the disease can be a valuable way to increase a person’s chance of stabilizing his or her mood swings.