Misdiagnosing Personality Disorders as Bipolar Type 1 Disorder

The manic phase of the Bipolar I Disorder is often misdiagnosed as a Personality Disorder.

In the manic phase of Bipolar Disorder, patients exhibit many of the signs and symptoms of certain personality disorders, such as the Narcissistic, Borderline, Histrionic, or even Schizotypal Personality Disorders: they are hyperactive, self-centered, lack empathy, and are control freaks. The manic patient is euphoric, delusional, has grandiose fantasies, spins unrealistic schemes, and has frequent rage attacks (is irritable) if her or his wishes and plans are (inevitably) frustrated.

The Bipolar Disorder got its name because the mania is followed by - usually protracted - depressive attacks. A similar pattern of mood shifts and dysphorias occurs in many personality disorders such as the Borderline, Narcissistic, Paranoid, and Masochistic. But whereas the bipolar patient sinks into deep self-deprecation, self-devaluation, unbounded pessimism, all-pervasive guilt and anhedonia - patients with personality disorders, even when depressed, never lose the underlying and overarching structure of their primary mental health problem. The narcissist, for instance, never foregoes his narcissism, even when down and blue: his grandiosity, sense of entitlement, haughtiness, and lack of empathy remain intact.
From my book "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited":

"Narcissistic dysphorias are much shorter and reactive - they constitute a response to the Grandiosity Gap. In plain words, the narcissist is dejected when confronted with the abyss between his inflated self-image and grandiose fantasies - and the drab reality of his life: his failures, lack of accomplishments, disintegrating interpersonal relationships, and low status. Yet, one dose of Narcissistic Supply is enough to elevate the narcissists from the depth of misery to the heights of manic euphoria."

The etiologies (the causes) of the Bipolar Disorder and of personality disorders differ. These disparities explain the different manifestations of mood swings. The source of the Bipolar’s mood shifts is assumed to be brain biochemistry. The source of the transitions from euphoric mania to depression and dysphorias in the Cluster B personality disorders (Narcissistic, Histrionic, Borderline) is the fluctuations in the availability of Narcissistic Supply. Whereas the narcissist is in full control of his faculties, even when maximally agitated, the bipolar often feels that s/he has lost control of his/her brain ("flight of ideas"), his/her speech, his/her attention span (distractibility), and his/her motor functions.

The bipolar is prone to reckless behaviors and substance abuse only during the manic phase. In contrast, people with personality disorders do drugs, drink, gamble, shop on credit, indulge in unsafe sex or in other compulsive behaviors both when elated and when deflated.

As a rule, the bipolar’s manic phase interferes with his or her social and occupational functioning. Many patients with personality disorders, in contrast, reach the highest rungs of their community, church, firm, or voluntary organization and function reasonably well most of the time. The manic phase of Bipolar sometimes requires hospitalization and involves psychotic features. Patients with personality disorders are rarely if ever hospitalized. Moreover, psychotic microepisodes in certain personality disorders (e.g., the Borderline, Paranoid, Narcissistic, Schizotypal) are decompensatory in nature and appear only under unendurable stress (e.g., in intensive therapy).

The bipolar patient’s nearest and dearest as well as perfect strangers react to his mania with marked discomfort. The constant, unwarranted cheer, the emphasized and compulsive insistence on interpersonal, sexual, and occupational, or professional interactions engenders unease and repulsion. The patient’s lability of mood - rapid shifts between uncontrollable rage and unnatural good spirits - is downright intimidating.

Similarly, people with personality disorders also garner unease and hostility from their human environment - but their conduct is more often considered to be manipulative, cold, and calculating, rarely out of control. The narcissist’s gregariousness, for example, is goal-orientated (the extraction of Narcissistic Supply). His cycles of mood and affect are far less pronounced and less rapid.

From my book "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited":

"The Bipolar’s swollen self-esteem, overstated self-confidence, obvious grandiosity, and delusional fantasies are akin to the narcissist’s and are the source of the diagnostic confusion. Both types of patients purport to give advice, carry out an assignment, accomplish a mission, or embark on an enterprise for which they are uniquely unqualified and lack the talents, skills, knowledge, or experience required.

But the bipolar’s bombast is far more delusional than the narcissist’s. Ideas of reference and magical thinking are common and, in this sense, the bipolar is closer to the schizotypal than to the narcissistic."

Sleep disorders - notably acute insomnia - are common in the manic phase of bipolar and uncommon among patients with personality disorders. So is "manic speech" which is pressured, uninterruptible, loud, rapid, dramatic (includes singing and humorous asides), sometimes incomprehensible, incoherent, chaotic, and lasts for hours. It reflects the bipolar’s inner turmoil and his/her inability to control his/her racing and kaleidoscopic thoughts.

As opposed to subjects with personality disorders, bipolars in the manic phase are often distracted by the slightest stimuli, are unable to focus on relevant data, or to maintain the thread of conversation. They are "all over the place": simultaneously initiating numerous business ventures, joining a myriad organization, writing umpteen letters, contacting hundreds of friends and perfect strangers, acting in a domineering, demanding, and intrusive manner, totally disregarding the needs and emotions of the unfortunate recipients of their unwanted attentions. They rarely follow up on their projects.

The transformation is so marked that the bipolar is often described by his or her closest as "not being himself of herself". Indeed, some bipolars relocate, change name and appearance, and lose contact with their "former life". Like in psychopathy, antisocial or even criminal behavior is not uncommon and aggression is marked, directed at both others (assault) and oneself (suicide). Some biploars describe an acuteness of the senses, akin to experiences recounted by drug users: smells, sounds, and sights are accentuated and attain an unearthly quality.

People with personality disorders are mostly ego-syntonic (the patient feels good with himself, with his life in general, and with the way he acts). In contrast, bipolars regret their misdeeds following the manic phase and try to atone for their actions. They realize and accept that "something is wrong with them" and seek help. During the depressive phase they are ego-dystonic and their defenses are autoplastic (they blame themselves for their defeats, failures, and mishaps).

Finally, personality disorders are usually diagnosed in early adolescence. The full-fledged bipolar disorder rarely occurs before the age of 20. The pathology of the bipolar is inconsistent. The onset of the manic episode is fast and furious and results in a conspicuous metamorphosis of the patient. With the exception of the Borderline patient, this is not the case in personality disorders.

More about this topic here:

Roningstam, E. (1996), Pathological Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Axis I Disorders. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 3, 326-340

Stormberg, D., Roningstam, E., Gunderson, J., & Tohen, M. (1998) Pathological Narcissism in Bipolar Disorder Patients. Journal of Personality Disorders, 12, 179-185

Vaknin, Sam - Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited - Skopje and Prague, Narcissus Publications, 1999-2006

Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited
The Narcissistic Personality Disorder and abusive relationships with narcissists described and analyzed. 82 frequently asked questions (FAQs), excerpts from the archives of the Narcissism Revisited List, essay, journal entries and appendices.

By Sam Vaknin Published: 3/4/2007

For further information on Bipolar Treatments and Help Visit Bipolar Disorder Uncovered

Maybe falsly diagnosed with bipolar?

Five years ago ( when I was in seventh grade), I went through 4 months of typical ore teen rebellion.my mom thought that there was seriously something wrong with me and brought me to a doctor

I have been diagnosed with bipolar 1

I am 45 have been labeled bipolar for about ten years two teenage boys (doing well type a kids) i have abused drugs, but only perscription and only when my mind just won’t stop

HealthBoards Message Boards

I have atypical bipolar 1 disorder. I was originally diagnosed as being schizoaffective 3 years ago, but my diagnosis changed 12 months later to bipolar 1

HealthBoards Message Boards Bipolar Disorder

Vampi: Richmond, Texas, United States: I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in early 2000 and found beading in early 2001. It’s been my saving grace

Bipolar 1

I’ve decided to focus on my self. Sounds egocentric, but it’s not. I’ve been recently diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder and am still coming to grips with this disease

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Guide to dsm iv diagnoses: Mood Disorders

Looks at DSM-IV Diagnoses in the Mood Disorders category including major depression, dysthymia, and the bipolar (manic-depressive) disorders. Intended to explain to laypersons.

Mood disorders are problems with a person’s general emotional state being inappropriate to the situation. There are two types: unipolar and bipolar mood disorders. To represent them, we use a visual mood spectrum that ranges from D (major depression) at the bottom to M (mania) at the top.

We’ll look at each area of the mood spectrum, but first, let’s identify what "normal" is. Someone without a mood disorder may have changing emotional states throughout the day, but the person’s moods, the ongoing emotional tones of his or her life, are fairly stable. More importantly, the person is able to manage his or her life from one day to the next, and feels extremely good, irritable, or bad only if something happens to cause those feelings.

Unipolar Disorders

People with unipolar mood disorders get depressed and only depressed.

Dysthymia

People with dysthymia, the mildest form of unipolar depression, tend to have a chronic case of the "blahs." Things aren’t bad, exactly, it’s just that sufferers don’t enjoy much and often feel like they’re going through the motions of life without getting much gratification in return. They often feel pessimistic or "bummed out," tired, indecisive, and/or bad about themselves and their lives; they also tend to have problems with appetite and sleep patterns.

Dysthymia tends to last, and last, and last, making the disorder a long-term, low-grade problem that wears on a person. Andrew Solomon describes it well in The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression

Mild depression is a gradualthing that undermines people the way rust weakens iron Like physical pain that becomes chronic, it is miserable not so much because it is intolerable in the moment as because it is intolerable to have known it in the moments gone and to look forward only to knowing it in the moments to come.

Major Depression

Major or "clinical" depression, by contrast, usually comes in "waves" that can last anywhere from two weeks to years at a time. In between episodes many people with major depression feel "normal."

People with major depression have much more severe symptoms than people with dysthymia. They don’t just feel bad about themselves, they feel worthless and hopeless; they don’t just feel indecisive, they have trouble thinking, concentrating, and making decisions. They may experience overwhelming and inappropriate guilt, lose all motivation to pursue work and hobbies, experience mental and physical sluggishness, want to sleep all the time or have trouble sleeping at all, and contemplate suicide. Other symptoms include

* Crying spells
* Poor hygiene (not bothering to brush their hair, change their clothes, or wash regularly)
* Withdrawal from friends
* Weight loss because food no longer tastes good or a need to eat (often carbohydrates) and weight gain
* Chronic pain or aches that have no physical cause
* Excessive worry and guilt
* Sleep problems: Inability to fall asleep, waking up during the night, waking up early in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep, excessive sleeping, or daytime sleepiness
* Feeling overwhelmed by daily life tasks

Abraham Lincoln struggled with a major depressive disorder and was so consumed by thoughts of suicide he was afraid to carry even a pocketknife.

I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth. Whether I shall ever be better I can not tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me.

Few people realize how painful major depression really is. Sufferers drown in an unending flood of self-loathing thoughts like those described by Lesley Dormen in Planet No:

One of the many things I hate about the word "depression" is the assumption of blankness attached to it, as if the experience of depression is as absent on the inside as it looks to be from the outside. That is wrong. Depression is a place that teems with nightmarish activity. It’s a one-industry town, a psychic megalopolis devoted to a single twenty-four-hour-we-never-close product. You work misery as a teeth-grinding muscle-straining job (is that why it’s so physically exhausting?), proving your shameful failures to yourself over and over again.

Bipolar Disorders

Let’s start with terminology: Bipolar disorder and manic depression are the same thing.

German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin, who created the first diagnostic system for psychology, brought the term "manic-depression" into common use, and it wasn’t until 1994 that the disorder’s name was changed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders (DSM-IV) to "bipolar disorder" in an attempt to reduce the stigma that had come to be associated with it.

People with Bipolar Disorder experience both the "down" state already described in the major depression section above and an "up" state of "elevated, expansive, or irritable" moods.

In a full-blown manic state, people experience

* An increase in energy, flamboyance
* Decreased need for sleep (think little to none)
* Inflated self esteem, sometimes to the point of grandiosity
* Talkativeness to the point that they sound "pressured," as if they can’t stop talking
* Racing thoughts, which usually manifests as jumping from topic to topic, sometimes so quickly they don’t make much sense.
* Short attention span and easy distractibility (yes, this gets misdiagnosed as ADHD a lot)
* Poor judgment, often leading to decisions that are harmful, such as spending sprees, careless sex (even when married), and dangerous risk-taking
* Poor impulse control, including saying things that cause later repercussions
* Irritability and aggressiveness, including starting fights
* Strange thoughts not based in reality (delusions) and strange behaviors
* Increased sex drive
* Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not really there)

Allan Seager relates poet Theodore Roethke’s experience of mania in From The Glass House: The Life of Theodore Roethke:

"For no reason I started to feel very good. Suddenly I knew how to enter into the life of everything around me. I knew how it felt to be a tree, a blade of grass, even a rabbit. I didn’t sleep much. I just walked around with this wonderful feeling. One day I was passing a diner and all of a sudden I knew what it felt like to be a lion. I went into the diner and said to the counter-man, Bring me a steak. Don’t cook it. Just bring it.So he brought me this raw steak and I started eating it. The other customers made like they were revolted, watching me. And I began to see that maybe it WAS a little strange."

Bipolar II

People with Bipolar II have major depressive episodes, but they also have hypomania — periods of euphoria without the extremes and ridiculously poor judgment of true mania. Over the last decade, clinicians and researchers have realized that many people with recurrent depression that "resists" treatment or fails to be "cured" through normal means may also have bipolar disorder. When clinicians began treating these people with bipolar medications, most of them started to get better!

Symptoms that tend to suggest bipolar disorder even if there’s never been a manic or hypomanic episode:

* Meds tend to "wear off" after a year or two (this is called "Prozac poop-out")
* Hypomania (feeling really good and becoming very productive) on higher levels of SSRIs or stimulants
* Early onset of symptoms — bipolar disorder tends to show up in the teens; true unipolar depression doesn’t usually appear until at least the mid-20s. The earlier the onset, the more likely it is to be bipolar, and a hypomanic or manic episode just hasn’t happened yet
* High reactivity to the environment — being "moody" in response to what’s going on around you because you’re really sensitive to it
* Feeling worse during the winter
* Abuse of alcohol or drugs (the alcoholism rate in people with bipolar disorder is 60%)
* Ongoing or repeated problems with depression rather than just one or two episodes
* "Treatment resistant" depression - not getting better with standard antidepressant treatments, or even feeling worse on them
* When depressed, symptoms are "atypical" (sleeping more than 10 hours a day, appetite goes up rather than down usually for fatty and carbohydrate heavy foods, extremely low activity and energy)

Mixed States

Many people with bipolar disorder experience mixed states, which means they’re both depressed and hypomanic/manic at the same time. This tends to manifest as anger or irritability. The person has more energy than when in a pure depressive state, but still feels awful, leading to "prickly," aggressive, and/or angry feelings and behavior.

Genetics

What makes Bipolar disorder in particular a challenge is that it is a hereditary disease, and one that requires the individual to be on medication for life. It tends to get worse as one ages, partly because each time one has a manic episode, the brain becomes more prone to depression and additional manic episodes. Because hypomania and mania can feel good, it can be difficult to get people to take their medications, making them more prone to the devastating depressions.

Treatments

Because negative and "irrational" thoughts are such a big part of depression, therapy addressing them and teaching the person to think differently is one of the most effective treatments. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps people identify and defeat irrational thoughts, has been shown to be particularly effective with depression, as has Interpersonal Therapy, which addresses relationships with others and ways to improve them.

Despite the importance of therapy, there are several things that indicate that medications might be a good idea:

1. There is a family history of depression, and other family members are taking (and have been helped by) medications.
2. The individual is so depressed that s/he is unable to do much work in therapy.
3. The individual is suicidal and needs symptom relief as quickly as possible.

Bipolar Disorder, by contrast, almost always requires medication, and the individual must continue that medication for life to avoid relapsing. Though hypomania and mania can feel good, they increase the likelihood of depressive episodes, so they are controlled through medication.

Individuals with bipolar disorder are often on a "cocktail" of medications including one or more antidepressants (to increase levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine and thereby get rid of the depression), a mood stabilizer (to suppress hypomania and mania and to treat depression, especially treatment-resistant depressions), and sometimes an antipsychotic to reduce levels of a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which causes the delusions and hallucinations of extreme mania.

By Carolyn Kaufman
Published: 12/3/2007

For further information on Bipolar Treatments and Help Visit Bipolar Disorder Uncovered 

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History of Bipolar

The history of bipolar disorder dates back many centuries although it has only been in fairly recent times that the term ‘bipolar disorder’ has been used.

The documented history of bipolar disorder dates back as far as the time of ancient Greece, over 2000 years ago. Even then the extremes of mood - melancholia (depression) and mania were clearly identified - as remitting fluctuating illnesses.

It was Aretaeus of Cappadocia, a celebrated Greek physician, who first put forward that these extremes of mood were a part of the same illness, but it is not until much later that this view gained momentum.

In Paris during the 18th Century there were significant changes to how people with a mental illness were being cared for. With more compassionate treatment, the importance of observing and documenting illnesses was also emphasized, and the connection between mania and depression was again revived. This only occurred due to detailed clinical records that enabled some important re-connections to be made.

In the 1850’s the French psychiatrist Jean-Pierre Falret noted bipolar disorder as a "folie circulaire" - highlighting the circular nature of bipolar disorder, with changes from mania to depression. "Folie" in French refers to mania, madness, craziness or insanity, with the literal translation being ‘circular insanity’.

Around the same time Jules Baillarger a French neurologist described these extreme mood changes as being merely different phases of the same illness "folli a double forme", translated as ‘dual-form insanity’.

The German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in 1899 first used the term manic depressive illness to describe these phases. However, it wasn’t until much later that another German, Karl Kleist, in 1953 separated out unipolar depression where there are no periods of mania or hypomania, and the term bipolar disorder was born.

For more articles on Bipolar Disorder and for an Online Bipolar Self Help Program visit MoodSwings.

By Sue Lauder
Published: 8/22/2008

For further information on Bipolar Treatments and Help Visit Bipolar Disorder Uncovered 

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Bipolar Disorder: A Disease That Drags Into Adulthood

A recent study has proven that children with bipolar disorder may grow up with the disease until their early adulthood. But unlike in young adults who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, parents cannot simply buy Prozac or other medications for their children because they have a higher dependency rate for the medication that adults do.

For adults, diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder can be easy. They can go see a psychologist for diagnosis or buy Prozac or whatever medicine has been prescribed to them for management. However, children diagnosed with the psychological disorder require more caution when it comes to choosing medication to prescribe. This makes treating pediatric bipolar disorder much more difficult as opposed to cases in adults.

But now, a recent study done by researchers from Washington University in St. Louis shows that children who suffer from bipolar disorder may grow up to suffer the symptoms of the psychological condition as adults.

The study was done even though shadows of doubt are cast regarding the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in kids. A lot of the counter-arguments originate from significant increase in children being diagnosed with the mood disorder. Some doctors believe that the condition is rather uncommon and is being overly diagnosed, while some believe the opposite to be quite true.

The study involved 115 children, with an average age of 11, all diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Interviews were done with the kids and their parents at the beginning of the test and during the nine follow-up checkups done over the succeeding 8 years. The interviews covered the children’s symptoms, diagnoses, daily mood cycles, and how they interact with other people.

A big chunk of the participants were able to finish the study, and roughly half of the children turned 18 by the end of the observation period. In the 8-year follow-up period, the researchers were able to find out that the children’s first 3 manic episodes included psychosis and a daily shift between mania and depression. Roughly 73% of the participants relapsed, while the others were able to recover from it.

After the follow-up sessions, the group found that 44% of the children who turned 18 at the end of the study continued having manic episodes as young adults.

It still isn’t clear to researchers why some of the children no longer experienced mania once they matured, but the tests were able to provide validation that bipolar disorder may continue into adulthood in a huge population of children with the disease. The unfortunate thing about this is, compared to adults who are given medicine for the disease, children have a higher rate of dependency formation.

The research group from Washington University suggests that clinicians start informing parents of what may or may not happen. The first concerns that are always aired by parents after having their children diagnosed with manic depression is whether or not the kid would take the disease with him as he grows older. Based on the results of this recent test, doctors need to advise parents to be rather vigilant in watching their children, to avoid dragging the condition along until adulthood.

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For Further Information on Bipolar Treatments and Help Visit Bipolar Disorder Uncovered

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Teen Bipolar Disorder

Learn about teen bipolar disorders and the signs to look for in teens to see if they have bipolar disorder. Also receive information on how to help a teen with teen bipolar disorder.

Over 2 million Americans are known to suffer from a disorder called bipolar disorder. Seven percent of the sufferers are teenagers. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive; it is a brain disease, which is distinguished by dramatic mood changes, energy levels, and behaviors. There are mainly two different types of extremes, mania and depression. Mania is when energy peaks and moods may be overly euphoric and irritable. Depression is characterized by suicidal thoughts, helplessness, and fatigue.

Teen Bipolar Disorder occurs mainly in the late teens, although it has been diagnosed in children as young as 6 years old. The usual problem lays in identifying the symptoms and reaching for help.

Teen bipolar disorder can be mistaken as ADHD because of the similar signs between the two disorders. When a teen is having mood swings from extreme high to low this should not be overlooked at common irrational behavior, the teen should be taken to a doctor for a check up to see if they have teen bipolar disorder.

If you suspect your child to have teen bipolar disorder take the time to watch his/her behavior in order to recognize some of these common symptoms.

Manic symptoms include:

* Severe changes in mood - extremely irritable or overly good
* Increased energy
* Lack of sleep for long periods of time
* Increased speed of speech, jumping from idea to idea quickly without much connection between them
* Lack of concentration
* Increased goal-directed activity or physical agitation
* Hyper sexuality
* Unrealistic talk such as relating to fantasy happenings in real life

Depressive symptoms in teen bipolar disorder include:

* Persistent sadness
* No interest in once pleasurable activities
* Insomnia or over sleeping
* Loss of energy or fatigue
* Difficulty in concentrating
* Feeling of emptiness/worthlessness
* Physical agitation or slowing
* Suicidal thought and actions

Teen bipolar disorder is a life long disease, which cannot be cured; however it can be successfully treated with medications and therapy. Family and friends play a huge role in treating this disease successfully.

To help a teen with teen bipolar disorder a person should do the following:

Keep a routine
Talk to teachers
Follow the medication schedule
Monitor side effects
Consider family therapy
Take suicidal threats seriously

Even though teenagers can be difficult to deal with its better to seek professional help as soon as possible rather then disregard it as a tantrum and live to regret it later. Teen bipolar disorder is not to be neglected but dealt with carefully and as soon as possible for best results.

By Joan Young
Published: 12/25/2006

For Further Information on Bipolar Treatments and Help Visit Bipolar Disorder Uncovered 

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Bipolar Disorder - Adolescents

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Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

Bipolar disorder is also called as manic depression or manic-depressive illness. Know about bipolar disorder symptoms.

Bipolar is one of the types of mood disorder associated with brain. It causes unusual shifts in energy, mood and ability of a person. It is also referred to as manic depression. It involves recurrent episodes of depression and mania, which recur across the lifespan.

A person suffering from bipolar disease often experiences mood instability, depression and extreme mood swings. One time, they may feel very sad, worthless, helpless, despairing and hopeless and another time, they may feel like creative, hyperactive and on the top of the world. This disease is named as bipolar disorder because the mood of a person with bipolar disorder alternates between totally different extremities, such as extreme sadness and euphoric happiness. There are two types of bipolar disorder such as Bipolar I disorder and Bipolar II disorder. The first type involves episodes of severe mood swings, while the second type is a milder form. Cyclothymia is a mild bipolar disorder.

Causes of Bipolar Disorder

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is not known. However, various genetic, biochemical and environmental factors are supposed to be involved in triggering bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder have some physical and chemical changes in the brain. Neurotransmitters, naturally occurring brain chemicals, contribute in developing bipolar disorder. Hormonal imbalance is also responsible for this disorder. This disease may be due to a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Symptoms of bipolar disorder are characterized by alternate patterns of depression and mania. The symptoms may vary mild to severe from person to person. There are different symptoms of bipolar disorder in maniac phase and depressive phase.

Manic Phase of Bipolar Disorder

A person in the maniac phase may feel very energetic, creative and hyperactive. Some of the common signs of mania are increased activity and gestures, inflated self-esteem, poor temper control, poor judgment and pressured speech. The major symptoms of manic phase are:

• Extreme optimism
• Agitation
• Euphoria
• Inflated self-esteem
• Rapid speech
• Aggressive behavior
• Racing thoughts
• Risky behavior
• Spending sprees
• Increased physical activity
• Increased sexual drive
• Increased drive to perform or achieve goals
• Decreased need for sleep
• Inability to concentrate
• Tendency to be easily distracted
• Drug abuse

Depressive Phase in Bipolar Disorder

Some people may experience more episodes of depressive phase than maniac phase. Some of the general signs of depression are excessive worry, sadness, crying spells and social withdrawal. Some major symptoms of depressive phase are as follows:

• Hopelessness
• Sadness
• Sleep problems
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Guilt
• Appetite problems
• Fatigue
• Problems in concentration
• Loss of interest in daily activities
• Chronic pain due to unknown reason

Symptoms of bipolar disorder are serious and can affect entire life of a person. Bipolar depression may result in damaged relationships, marital problems, poor performance in school or at job, and even suicide. Hence, it is very essential to seek an appropriate treatment immediately. Bipolar disorder can be diagnosed on the basis of signs and symptoms. Bipolar disorder treatment focuses on stabilizing mood swings and managing the symptoms. It can be treated with different medications such as lithium, carbamazepine, valproic acid, etc. Various therapies such as psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy and group therapy are found to be helpful the people with bipolar disorder.

By Reshma Jirage
Published: 11/13/2008

For Further Information on Bipolar Treatments and Help Visit Bipolar Disorder Uncovered 

 
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Full Detailed Information on Bipolar Disorder

Up-to-date authoritative information about Bipolar (Manic-Depressive) disorder, its diagnosis and treatment.

There are many treatments available for bipolar disorder, ranging from medications to therapy. There are too many medications to be discussed here in depth. There are also many forms therapy can take, and techniques that can be learned to assist the patient in gaining some control over their bipolar disorder.

Symptoms

Typically, bipolar disorder is treated with more than one medication. This is due to the dual nature of bipolar disorder. Most patients need at least two medications: one to control depression and one to control mania. The combination of these two types of medication works to obtain balance in moods and stop mood cycling. Often, a third medication, called a mood stabilizer, is also prescribed. The most common mood stabilizer is Topomax.

How is bipolar disorder treated?

Popular medications for treatment of mania in bipolar patients include lithium, valproate (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol), olanzapine (Zyprexa), and ziprasidone (Geodon). Lithium has long been considered the miracle drug of bipolar disorder. It is a sodium based medication that helps to balance the chemical imbalance in the brain that causes manic episodes in bipolar patients.

Valproate, or Depakote, was originally developed as a seizure medication. However, its effects on bipolar patients who have rapid cycling bipolar (moods that cycle every few hours or days rather than weeks or months), it has been quite effective. Carbamazepine, or Tegretol, is another anti-seizure medication. While it appears to have similar effects on bipolar disorder as Depakote, it has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a bipolar disorder treatment.

Olanzapine, or Zyprexa, and Ziprasidone, or Geodon, are both anti-psychotic drugs, and are particularly effective for treatment of bipolar disorder in which mania becomes so severe that psychotic symptoms are present.

Medications for treatment of depression are called anti-depressants. Common anti-depressants include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). All of these medications have been proven to be successful treatments for depression, although Celexa and Prozac are the most commonly prescribed.

Typically, treatment of bipolar disorder includes a combination of medications and therapy, or counseling. However, in some cases, medication may not be necessary for milder cases of bipolar disorder. In other cases, medication may not be desired by the patient, and the patient may wish to seek out other alternatives to medication for treatment of their bipolar disorder.

For these patients, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be quite effective. CBT is a method of bipolar disorder treatment that involves teaching the patient techniques to recognize triggers and symptoms of their mood cycling, and use that information and recognition to prevent the triggers from occurring, or the mood cycling from being quite as severe. Most of these techniques require the patient to develop cognitive thinking skills as well as critical thinking and problem solving capabilities. If the bipolar disorder is severe to the point that the patient is unable to engage in these thinking abilities and skills, CBT may not be a viable form of treatment in and of itself.

Overall, there are many treatments available for bipolar disorder. There are many options for the patient that can be discussed with the patient’s doctors. If a patient is not satisfied with the form their treatment is taking, they should discuss it with their doctor, and not be afraid to change doctors in order to change treatment methods. All in all, effective and successful treatment of bipolar disorder rests in the hands of the patient.

By: Tarnow2008

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

For Further Information on Bipolar Treatments and Help Visit Bipolar Disorder Uncovered 

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Bipolar Disorder or Manic Depression Causes and Treatment

Bipolar disorder, or manic-depressive illness (MDI), is one of the most common, severe, and persistent mental illnesses.

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric condition defined as recurrent episodes of significant disturbance in mood. These disturbances can occur on a spectrum that ranges from debilitating depression to unbridled mania. Individuals suffering from bipolar disorder typically experience fluid states of mania, hypomania or what is referred to as a mixed state in conjunction with depressive episodes.

These clinical states typically alternate with a normal range of mood. While dealing with bipolar disorder isn’t always easy, it doesn’t have to run your life. With proper treatment and a solid support system, people with bipolar disorder are capable of leading rich and fulfilling lives. They can hold jobs, sustain loving marriages, raise children, and be productive members of society. But in order to successfully manage bipolar disorder, it is essential to fully understand the condition and its challenges.

What Causes Bipolar Disorder?

Doctors and scientists don’t know the exact cause of bipolar disorder, but they think that biochemical, genetic, and environmental factors may all be involved. It’s believed this condition is caused by imbalances in certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. If the neurotransmitters aren’t in balance, the brain’s mood-regulating system won’t work the way it should.

Symptoms

In adults, mania is usually episodic with an elevation of mood and increased energy and activity. In children, mania is commonly chronic rather than episodic, and usually presents in mixed states with irritability, anxiety and depression. In adults and children, during depression there is lowering of mood and decreased energy and activity. During a mixed episode both mania and depression can occur on the same day.

How is bipolar disorder treated?

In bipolar disorder treatment, the leading thought may be the use of medications. They are, in actuality, a potent medium in the management of the disorder. One just needs study at the massive group of medications that is accessible to see that medicine has been broadly used in bipolar disorder management. Lithium carbonate was the premier significant breakthrough in the medications for bipolar disorder treatment. It belongs to a lineage of medications called "attitude stabilizers". These medications assist to arrest or ease manic episodes. They also aid to ward off the extremes of depression, such as suicide. bipolar disorder management may also embody the use of alternate attitude stabilizers that were originally used as anticonvulsants . These have been shown to maintain a tremendous result on mood. Some of these, such as valproic acid and carbamazepine, are tried and true.

Lamotrigine, gabapentin, and topiramate have also been used for this purpose but not conclusively prov-en noticeable. Caution must be taken in the use of antidepressant treatment as a portion of bipolar disorder treatment. Attitude stabilizers are mainly tried first, because antidepressants can trigger manic episodes or rapid-cycling. If an antidepressant must be used, there are reliable ones which are less likely to cause these problems. One of these is bupropion . The management of psychotic symptoms has evolved rapidly in modern times. At first, there were potent anti-psychotics. The first of these were said to put the mind in a "cerebral straight jacket". They essentially stopped all thought. They also had an extreme side effects known as tardive dyskinesia . This causes everlasting neurological damages.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Doctors use this form of treatment mainly in people who have episodes of major depression associated with suicidal tendencies or in people whose medication has proved to be ineffective. In this treatment, electrodes are taped to your head. Then, while you’re anesthetized and after you’ve received a muscle relaxant, a small amount of electrical current is passed through your brain for less than a second. This current produces a brain seizure, but because of the muscle relaxant, your body remains calm.

ECT profoundly affects brain metabolism and blood flow to various areas of the brain. How that correlates to easing depression remains unknown, but this therapy is often highly effective.

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How To Help Someone That Has Bi Polar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a kind of depression that can be difficult to handle, especially for those who don’t have a good understanding of what it is. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a condition where a person will go through lows of depression and then highs of mania or irritability.

People will bipolar disorder will appear hyper in both speech and action during the high and then appear lethargic during a low. They will lack much of a social life, will feel irritable, have mood swings, sometimes have impulsive behavior, have racy thoughts and not sleep as much as they used to. Someone with this disorder will often exhibit two or more of these signs, but few will notice it at first because few understand that these symptoms could be a warning of this kind of disorder.

Bipolar disorder will often develop during the younger years; it could show up in childhood, adolescence and even as late as the early twenties. There is speculation that bipolar disorder could be genetic and is triggered in people with it after they have been through a stressful and/or traumatic situation. It is also thought that drug abuse could trigger it as well.

Many who have this particular disorder will not find help, probably because they don’t personally feel that they might have a problem. When left untreated, however, a person’s marriage could be ruined, as well as their schooling, their career and their social life. They can become aggressive, pessimistic and negative toward most things. People will start to avoid them because they will take the fun out of life around them.

Someone who has a friend or a family member should do their best to get this person into counseling. There is, really, very little that a person can do for someone who has bipolar disorder. In most cases, all a person can do is to be as supportive as they can while they try to get this person interested in going counseling. What a person can do is to find out all they can about bipolar disorder so that they can find out if this person really is suffering from this kind of depression. Online counselors are available to answer any questions and concerns that a person may have regarding the illness. One a person determines whether or not they think their friend or family member is possibly suffering from bipolar disorder, than they might be able to persuade the person to consult a counselor.

Many people with this kind of disorder will not want to accept that there is anything wrong, so convincing them to see a counselor can be a hard task, but it must be done. Most will be more open to the idea of consulting an online counselor, because it is convenient and also because they won’t have to take too much time and effort to go see a counselor in person. If they can be persuaded to give online counseling a try, they just might be able to get the help and treatment they need.

By: Dr. Jennifer B. Baxt, DMFT, NCC, DCC

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Jennifer Baxt is the owner of CompleteCounselingSolutions.com which offers a variety of online counseling services. If you would like to know more about Jennifer or any of our online therapists, visit our website.

For Further Information on Bipolar Treatments and Help Visit Bipolar Disorder Uncovered 

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The Onset Of Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

There may come a time when you need to determine if a loved one should seek help for his or her problems. In fact, there may come a time for many when it is important to be able to recognize the onset bipolar disorder symptoms.

Bipolar disorder symptoms have three main categories. These are manic, psychotic and depressive. If several of these symptoms are occurring, it may be time to see your doctor.

Manic bipolar disorder symptoms are many & varied. They all share a similar feeling, though. Everything is much faster, grander, and bigger than life. A person in a manic state may be more active than usual. They may think and talk faster than he or she usually does. Everything about that person is exaggerated, including their overwhelming feeling of self importance.

A person like this may have grand schemes and adventures in the works. When these plans don’t pan out, that person will generally put the blame on some outside factor if, in fact, he or she takes the time to consider it at all. Usually, it’s straight off to the next idea. This is not just whimsical behavior, but is actually bipolar disorder symptoms.

When manic, people can be very reckless. They can end up doing things that effect their personal relationships or may go so far as landing them in serious trouble. Without an alertness to bipolar disorder symptoms it appears as simply a problem with their behavior. The truth is that those people generally need treatment to get better. It isn’t just a case of making up one’s mind to do the right thing.

There are also physical bipolar disorder symptoms of mania that may also be very obvious. A person who feels little or no need for food or sleep may also be in a manic state. While some may be able to carry on this way, at least for a while, most of us need rest and sustenance to maintain ourselves.

Psychotic bipolar disorder symptoms arrive mostly with mania, but can often come with mixed moods and occasionally with depressive bipolar disorder symptoms. Psychosis just refers to a break with reality. This can be in the form of hallucinations, both auditory (hearing voices, etc.) and visual. Delusions or false beliefs, are also bipolar disorder symptoms. For example, a person may falsely believe that he or she is actually some famous historical figure or celebrity.

During depression, bipolar disorder symptoms can often be easily seen if you look carefully. Apathy is a sign of depression, but other clues are even more telling. Indecisiveness and low self esteem go hand in hand in depressive bipolar symptoms.

Physical bipolar disorder symptoms of depression include tiredness, weight gain or loss, and eating or sleeping more or less than usual. The person who is displaying bipolar disorder symptoms of depression is telling the world that they simply don’t care enough take good physical care.

One should never look for trouble where it doesn’t exist. There is no need to be afraid of any slight variations in the moods or habits of a friend or loved one. However, if things just don’t seem right, it is advisable to be able to recognize bipolar disorder symptoms.

By: Mark Hargreaves

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mark is a life long depression sufferer and maintains a site devoted to the understanding and treatment of depression in all it’s many forms. Visit his site for more information at www.overcome-depression.com

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