Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder originally called Manic Depressive Psychosis has been part of a psychiatrists diagnostic list for more than a hundred years. However since that time there has been refinements to what symptoms are included in the illness. The latest edition of the DSM-IV ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ) gives Bipolar in 2 different levels:-
For a diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder, a person must have at least one manic episode. Mania is sometimes referred to as the other extreme to depression. Mania is an intense high where the person feels euphoric, almost indestructible in areas such as personal finances, business dealings, or relationships. They may have an elevated self-esteem, be more talkative than usual, have flight of ideas, a reduced need for sleep, and be easily distracted. The high, although it may sound appealing, will often lead to severe difficulties in these areas, such as spending much more money than intended, making extremely rash business and personal decisions, involvement in dangerous sexual behavior, and/or the use of drugs or alcohol. Depression is often experienced as the high quickly fades and as the consequences of their activities becomes apparent, the depressive episode can be exacerbated.
Bipolar II: Similar to Bipolar I Disorder, there are periods of highs as described above and often followed by periods of depression. Bipolar II Disorder, however is different in that the highs are hypo manic, rather than manic. In other words, they have similar symptoms but they are not severe enough to cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning and typically do not require hospitalization in order to assure the safety of the person.
Treatments for Bipolar
Bipolar is very much an illness unique to a particular sufferer, 2 different sufferers could have 2 completely different symptoms. However 2 drugs often prescribed for Bipolar is Lithium or as an alternative Carbamazapine these are both mood stabilizers. After than it depends on the mood pattern of the individual, if depression is the dominant mood then antidepressants are often prescribed, however at times even these are not enough to bring the sufferer round, in which cause either hospitalization and/or ECT (electro convulsive therapy often know as shock treatment may be called for. If Mania is dominate and mood stabilizers are not working then major tranquillizers such as Chlorpromazine may be prescribed, if the Mania goes out of control then hospitalization (possibly compulsory often called sectioning) may be the only answer
