bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness in which common emotions become intensely and often unpredictably magnified. Individuals with bipolar disorder can quickly swing from extremes of happiness, energy and clarity to sadness, fatigue and confusion. All people with bipolar disorder have manic episodes abnormally elevated or irritable moods that last at least a week and impair functioning. Adapted from the encyclopedia of psychology over the last ten years in the u.s. The rate of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder has gone up drastically, raising new questions and challenges for treatment. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that has many effects on the human body and mind.

Known as manic depressive disorder, bipolar disorder is most commonly found in young adults, and in some cases, children as well gallagher, 2005, 35. Statistics show that bipolar disorder affects about four million people in the united states, and is becoming one of the most common disabilities in the united states today craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 212 . People with bipolar disorder undergo two specific mood swings: depression and mania.

Depression and mania can be divided into three different subcategories: bipolar 1 disorder, bipolar 2 disorder, and cylothymia craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 212. This paper will discuss bipolar disorder as well as give a short history of the mental illness, the subcategories and the symptoms, as well as causes and treatments. The greeks believed that this form of manic depression dealt with of blood, phlegm, choler, and black bile, which are body fluids found in the human body martin, 2007, 16. These four body fluids were believed to have been the cause of bipolar disorder in that they caused chemical imbalances within the body. Moreover, the greeks believed that by acquiring equilibrium within the body, a person would need to purge themselves, or release certain amounts of these fluids.

However, plato sought the belief that bipolar disorder was the cause of inspirations such as god, writings, and love martin, 2007, 16. Our writers can help get your essay back on track, take a look at our services to learn more about how we can help. Essay writing service essay marking service place an order another idea occurred with the reason that bipolar disorder was caused by environmental factors such as stress, satan, god, education, and poverty martin, 2007, 16. For many years, bipolar disorder was argued to have been caused by spiritual factors as well however, researchers narrowed the causes down to intellect verses emotion. It was argued that intellect behavior/rational thinking was the cause of bipolar disorder rather than fluctuation emotions martin, 2007, 17.

As discussed in bipolar expeditions: mania and depression in american culture, charles darwin supported this belief by stating that no one could fully comprehend a person's emotions because no one person can fully comprehend another's emotions martin, 2007, 18. Bipolar disorder has eventually been recognized to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Since ancient greek times, researchers have discovered more information about bipolar disorder including different forms organized by severity, symptoms, causes, and treatments. Bipolar disorder is known as manic depressive disorder that has a great effect on the human mind. For many years, this disorder was also referred to as manic depressive psychosis and manic depression, until 2001 when it was officially termed bipolar disorder gallagher, 2005, 35. Due to this disorder, the mind goes through different changes of thought, also known as mood swings craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 212. Mania and depression are the two mood swings that a person with bipolar disorder endures.

A person with bipolar disorder will either alternate between mania and depression or will experience them simultaneously in various episodes craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 212. Mood swings increase in severity either over a period of a few years, or in some cases, a few days craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 212. There are many symptoms and causes of bipolar disorder that are easily recognizable. The three subcategories are organized by increasing severity of bipolar disorder. The main symptom of bipolar 1 disorder is an increase in manic mood swings which generally affects daily activities such as work, school, or family mayo clinic staff. Manic mood swings commonly cause effects such as extreme optimism, aggressive behavior, agitation/irritation, loss of sleep, abuse of drugs/alcohol, or delusion craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 212.

In this subcategory, people endure depressive mood swings including emotions of sadness, anger, happiness, anxiety, guilt, irritability, and suicidal thoughts mayo clinic staff. The final subcategory of bipolar disorder is cylothymia which is the least severe form of bipolar disorder, but does include highs and lows of depression. Other symptoms of bipolar disorder include mood swings over a period of a few years, days, or hours varying on season change, as well as psychosis hallucinations/delusions craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 212. Medication is believed to aid with balancing mood swings, as well as lessen depression and anxiety. Finding the right medication is difficult because certain medications can negatively affect a person's disorder by increasing symptoms they may already have. However, lithium carbonate is a well known medication that positively affects about 50 60% of bipolar patients.

Not only does lithium carbonate reduce the symptoms, it also prevents further episodes of mania craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 213 214. Mood stabilizers are also mixed with antidepressants that aid in preventing both manic and depression episodes. Nevertheless, antidepressants can further the severity of manic episodes, as well as mood changes craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 214. Psychotherapy is a form of therapy that aids the patient in recognizing his or her disorder, the symptoms, and causes. This form of treatment also teaches the patient ways to take control of his or her own life.

Psychotherapy is very beneficial because it allows the patient to recognize her or her own disorder, reduce symptom severity, become more compliant towards medications, and allow the patient to better manage their emotions and moods craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 214. Three different forms of psychotherapy are psychosocial therapy, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, and individual cognitive behavioral therapy. These different forms of psychotherapy specifically aim at reducing symptoms, while also teaching the patient ways in which he or she can deal with events such as personal loss, disputes, role transitions, and drug abuse craighead and nemeroff, 2001, 214. The final form of treatment is hospitalization which is only for severe cases of bipolar disorder. A patient is hospitalized only if he or she is suicidal or is slowly becoming psychotic mayo clinic staff. Hospitalization allows the patient to work closely with many specialists that are constantly watching over his or her patient and analyzing the ways in which the environment and medications affect the patient.

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