Around 1 in 100 people in the UK have bipolar disorder, but there are
still many people who remain confused on what the disorder actually is.
Put simply, bipolar disorder is a severe form of mood disorder which
affects a person’s ability to function in every day activities. It
affects one’s work, one’s family, and one’s social life. Sufferers
experience extreme changes in mood from high to low, depression, mania
and psychotic symptoms. Bipolar disorder is often not recognized by the
patient, relatives, friends, or even physicians. An early sign of the
illness may be hypomania – a state in which the person shows a high
level of energy, excessive moodiness or irritability, and impulsive or
reckless behavior. Below are some examples of the many symptoms that
the disorder can cause.
 

  • Severe mood swings from extreme highs to lows.
  • Feelings of guilt, depression, suicidal thoughts/attempts.
  • Being overly critical of one’s self.
  • Feelings of superiority, increased self-esteem, risky behaviour.
  • Lethargy, feeling constantly tired, apathy.
  • Hyperactivity, manic episodes, elation for no apparent reason, irritability.
  • Changes in sexual behaviour, drug use, alcohol use.
  • Sufferers experiencing mania may sleep less, be more talkative, and be energetic.
  • Psychotic symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, feelings of being possessed.

Bipolar disorder typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. In its early stages, it may
masquerade as a problem other than mental illness. For example, it can
first appear as alcohol or drug abuse, or poor school or work
performance. If left untreated, bipolar disorder tends to worsen, and
the person experiences episodes of full-fledged mania and clinical
depression. However, with the proper treatment, bipolar disorder can be
effectively managed and a person can lead a normal life. One sufferer
attempts to describe the effects of the disorder.

“Most of the time I feel fine, I can get on with my life with no
problems. But at times I feel so unbalanced. It’s like an emotional
rollercoaster that I can’t get off. You can’t control the mood swings
and when I have an episode I find I lash out at family and friends
without thinking. After the episodes I feel drained and it’s hard to go
back to work and life in general as if nothing has happened. It is
exhausting. Therapy has helped a lot but I still find it hard to deal
with sometimes.”

Bipolar disorder is not a purely biochemical or medical disorder.
Family history and genetics often play an important role in the chance
of someone having this disorder in their lifetime. Increased stress and
inadequate coping mechanisms to deal with that stress may also
contribute to the disorder’s manifestation. Bipolar disorder is usually
experienced as a swing between a manic and a depressed mood, often
related to increased stress or other events in a person’s life. It is
extremely difficult to pinpoint the cause of a mood swing, and
sometimes there is no clear cause at all.

The disorder can be treated in different ways, and the success of
treatment varies from patient to patient. One form of treatment is
psychotherapy, as both individual and group therapy sessions are proven
to be effective in treating the disorder. Helping the client learn to
predict his or her own mood fluctuations (which may be related to
situational or seasonal changes) can decrease the possibility of
relapse in the future. Follow-up care in the form of regular therapy
sessions, case management, etc, is essential. Many patients find that
talking to other sufferers is very helpful as it is often easier to
talk to someone who experiences the same disorder and has their own
ways of coping. Such support groups offer emotional and social support
and can be very helpful for those who found other kinds of therapy
expensive or unhelpful.

With regard to medication, the most common choice is lithium carbonate,
taken orally. However, lithium generally has little effect on a major
depressive episode; these episodes should first be treated by an
appropriate antidepressant medication. For those people who cannot
tolerate lithium carbonate or its side effects, though, there are few
treatment options for mania, such as depakote, haloperidol and
chlorpromazine. People with bipolar disorder can be maintained
indefinitely on lithium with relatively few harmful side effects and
generally lead a productive, active life. Regular check-ups with
medical professionals are obviously essential to monitor the course of
treatment.

Sometimes hospitalization is required – especially if the patient is
suffering from severe manic depression, manic episodes or expresses
suicidal intent. Although once they have been stabilized with the
appropriate medication, they should be released. Day treatment
programs, which allow for greater flexibility in the patient’s life
while maintaining close support and contact with mental health
professionals, are often an appropriate treatment choice.

Bipolar disorder is complex and continually being redefined. For those
who suffer with it, it can be frustrating and even dangerous, but
advances in treatment are being made all the time and there are many
organizations with online/phone resources, as well as lists of support
groups, that are only too happy to help.

For more information take a look at these excellent websites: