Information on Bi-Polar Disorder Health Mental

Introduction

Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder also known as manic depressive disorder due to the extreme mood swings in the affected person. It is a psychiatric diagnosis when an person has had at least one episode of abnormally high energy levels, cognition, and mood. This may be with or without one or more depressive episodes. The former mood is known as mania.

If the mania is of a mild form, it is known as hypomania. Mania is followed by a depressive mood most of the time. The two extremes of moods may have a period of normal mood in between them or may rapidly alternate from one to the other in a rapid cycling. Sometimes mania and melancholia co exist, this is called a mixed state. The development of this mental health disorder is largely dependent on the genetic predisposition and environmental factors.

History

The two extremes of moods, mania and melancholia, that make up the bipolar disorder, have their etymological roots in the language of the Ancient Greeks. Jules Baillarger, in 1854, presented for the first time the basic concept of this mental health disorder to the French Imperial Academy of Medicine. He described it as a biphasic mental illness causing recurrent oscillation between mania and depression, a dual-form insanity. A month later, in February of the same year, Jean-Pierre Falret called it circular insanity. The term manic depressive psychosis was coined by Emil Kraepelin, a German psychiatrist. The term manic-depressive reaction made an appearance in 1952 for the very first time.

Features

There is a spectrum for bipolar disorder and diagnosis this condition is often times difficult. The depressive episode consists of sadness, anger, guilt, anxiety, hopelessness, loneliness, delusions, illusions, and this may persist from days to weeks to months.The manic episode includes euphoria, racing thoughts, aggression, easy distraction, out of control, sleeplessness, delusions and increased sexual drive. The causes and triggers for these are genetic, physiologic and environmental. Advanced paternal age is related to bipolar disorder in offspring. The activity of melatonin and circadian rhythms are often altered during the episodes.

Life events, relationships, traumatic childhood all play a role a role in the onset of bipolar disorder. This mental health disorder needs to be differentiated from schizophrenia. Those who have this disorder often are misdiagnosed and this is very sad. It can be complicated by other co existing mental illnesses like OCD, ADHD, panic disorder, social phobia. Manic depressive people may also be involved in substance abuse.

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