Nature of Bipolar Manic Depression

Bipolar causes vary from patient to patient. Although factors like neurochemical imbalance, genetics and environmental stresses were found to influence the development of this brain disorder, the exact cause of this disease it yet to be discovered. Biological disorders such as damage to certain regions of brain due to neurotransmitter malfunction also leads to the progression of the disorder. And as a biological disorder, it can be dormant and be activated with various forms of daily stressors.

Genetics

Bipolar disorder is a disease can run in the family. A family medical history that includes the disorder is a known bipolar cause. A person with parents diagnosed of bipolar disorder has 15 to 25 percent chance of developing this disease. Greater risks are suffered by individuals with twins who are diagnosed of the disease.

Imbalance to Brain Chemicals

Imbalance to brain chemicals or neurotransmitters is one of the known biological bipolar causes. The disease may progress from having high levels of serotonin, dopamine or norepinephrine. This condition may result from the sudden change in the sensitivity of the receptors of nerve cells or reaction to overwhelming stress.

Stressors

Stressful events in daily life can trigger manic depressive episodes. A person with genetic disposition for this brain disorder is highly likely to experience bouts of extreme mood shifts. Unhealthy lifestyle and habits like frequent and high alcohol intake, drug abuse and hormonal problems promote bipolar episodes. Although substance abuse is not included in the list of bipolar causes, it is a factor that can worsen the illness as it interferes with the patient's road to full recovery.

Also, emotional issues like loss of a job, death of a loved one, moving and adjusting to a new environment and birth of a child put any person under stress. Experiencing overwhelming emotions can trigger the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Together, emotional, mental and environmental stressors can establish a cycle of abnormal psychological and biological processes that can keep the disorder active.

Medication

Medication is seen as one of the unlikely bipolar causes. When bipolar drugs are prescribed to effectively cope with bothersome and debilitating bipolar symptoms, drugs like antidepressants and antimanic may cause adverse effects. Incorrect or prolonged usage of antidepressants or antimanic drugs leads to drug-induced manic episodes. Certain drugs can produce effects that resemble mania, which results to increased energy, increased talkativeness and sleeping problems. Such medications include cocaine and amphetamines, appetite suppressants, cold preparations and nonpsychiatric medications like corticosteroids.

Who may Develop Bipolar Disorder?

Anyone can develop bipolar disorder or bipolar manic depression. According to PsychCentral.com, about 2 million Americans are diagnosed of this disease. Although a few risk factors increase the likelihood of developing the disease, it affects male and female population at the same rate.

Therapy Session

Immediate diagnosis and proper treatment for bipolar manic depression disorder gives each and every patient the best chance to living a normal life. There are a number of options available for bipolar treatments which are specifically designed to help diagnosed patients control their chronic and episodic mood swings. They also provide all the necessary means to prevent cases such as marital breakups, job loss, and alcohol or drug abuse, which are most likely to happen if the disease is left untreated. Noncompliance to bipolar manic depression treatments is the number one treatment concern. Untreated bipolar disorder eventually progresses to difficulties in concentration as well as abnormal behaviors that can severely affect the patient's behavior, relations, job and overall daily life.

What is Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar manic depression or bipolar is one of psychiatric illnesses that cause significant disruptions to a person's life and lifestyle. It is a type of mood disorder, characterized by experiencing occasional highs and lows of moods or mood swings which can go from feeling very sad and despairingly helpless to feeling like being on top of the world. As the name implies, it refers to episodes of sudden shift between two opposite poles of moods, sadness to euphoria or vice versa. Such episodes greatly influence one's behavior, which explains the necessity of complying to proper bipolar treatments. Depression symptoms may cause life-threatening consequences like suicidal thoughts, actual act of suicides or even murder or homicide. On the other hand, extreme mania can lead to dangerous risk-taking behaviors like aggressiveness and homicidal tendencies. In the event of mixed state, a person diagnosed of bipolar disorder may experience symptoms of both mania and depression.

Causes and Symptoms

One way of determining the right kind of bipolar treatment is the evaluation of the causes of bipolar manic depression or bipolar disorder. The condition may be passed on through genes as it tends to run in families. Such abnormality is shown as a genetic abnormality, which progresses to the chemical imbalances of the brain. The multi-faceted causes of bipolar disorder include abnormal brain activities such as the over secretion of cortisol (stress hormone) and abnormal hyperactivity of on the brain sections that rule over emotion and movement. Exposure to infectious agents like the Borna virus and herpes simplex 2 virus was also linked to bipolar manic depression cases.

Symptoms usually appear during the adolescence period to early adulthood and can continue till old age. Failure to comply with necessary bipolar treatments will only make patients suffer throughout their lifetime.

Bipolar manic depression Treatments

Patients may be advised to follow a combination of bipolar treatments to effectively take control over their bipolar symptoms. Medical treatment usually involves medications such as mood stabilizers. This usually goes with counseling schedules with a therapist. Counseling period does not only involve the patient but also their families and friends, helping everyone get through the disease altogether. Group therapy or one on one session may be included with outpatient visits. Patients who pose danger to themselves may require psychiatric hospitalization to receive proper monitoring of medications as well as the effect of such medications.

Each patient has unique response to treatment. Hence, what may be effective to one may not be as effective to another bipolar sufferer. It is important to consult a medical professional to be guided in selecting the right combination of treatment and in setting a clear road to recovery.