The Symptoms of Bipolar
There are times all of us feel sad or melancholic. There are times we feel happy for no apparent reason and want to sing and dance for joy. People have mood swings but they are not every day and not without reason. However, when you see some one who is ecstatic one moment and goes down to the depth of depression in the other, then there are chances that these are bipolar symptoms and bipolar disease is what the person is afflicted with. Most people harbor some false myths about bipolar symptoms and bipolar disease. Hence, we need to know what bipolar disorder really is.
What Bipolar Disorder Really Is
Manic depression is another popular name for bipolar disorder. Periods of euphoria or mania alternating with periods of depression are the symptoms characterized with this disorder as is indicated with the name. These periods of the symptoms are not brief and may last for hours, days and even months. The ability of the individual to lead a normal life can also be affected by these radical mood changes.
A burst of energy may be felt by the patient in the mania phase and he may paint, quit his job, sing and dance or even shop like a madman. Feelings of euphoria for no apparent reason are the characteristics of the mania phase.
The depression phase on the other hand can be characterized by symptoms of low or no energy. A person suffering from this phase may be completely depressed about everything, wallow in self pity and be very lethargic for no reason.
Bipolar Disorder has become a common affliction these days with 3% of the adult population in the US affected. Even though the disease has been linked to genetics and family history, researchers are striving to ascertain the actual causes.
The onset of bipolar disorder has been observed to occur in the early adult and late teenage years. The bipolar symptoms in teens are initially mistaken by most people to be typical adolescent behavior. Therefore, not much attention is paid towards them and the symptoms become worse. This is why an early prognosis of the disease can lead to the healthy and normal life for the patient.
In the early days, people afflicted with the bipolar symptoms and bipolar disease, were often called “mad”. Many were thought to be possessed by evil spirits as well. However, with the advent of new technology, many of these myths have been broken.
Below are some myths about bipolar disorder which are still being used today:
Having Bipolar Disorder doesnt give you the opportunity for a normal life ” With the increasing number of bipolar disorder sufferers around the world having children, a great family and a perfectly normal life, we can clearly see that this statement is false. A capability to cope and manage the symptoms and a good support system is all that is required.
Patients afflicted with bipolar disorder are forever alternating between mania and depression: Manic and depression episodes do occur but there tend to be more depression episodes than mania. Most of the times, mania is so mild that its hardly noticeable. Many a times patients dont have any symptoms for a long period of time.
Treatment for bipolar disorder is available with therapy and medicines. But even with these conventional cures available, one must not forget the love and support of family and friends as this is extremely vital in ensuring a normal life for patients.