My Fit Brain - What Is Bipolar Disorder (Manic Episode) - Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment

We all experience mood swings, but people with bipolar disorder may find these swings to be very distressing and significantly influence their lives. Although the effects and symptoms of bipolar disease vary from person to person, they can seriously affect a person's life. Many individuals with this illness lead active, fulfilling lives when practicing daily habits to improve life and given the right care and assistance.

Do you have bipolar disorder? Is bipolar disorder genetic? Here are some tips for identifying the symptoms of bipolar disorder and seeking treatment before it's too late.

What Is Bipolar Disorder

Manic depression, another name for bipolar disorder, is a mental condition that causes extreme highs and lows in mood as well as changes in sleep, activity, thinking, and behavior. People with bipolar disorder can experience extreme highs of happiness and vigor as well as extreme lows of melancholy, hopelessness, and lethargy. They typically feel normal in the intervals between those times. The bipolar disorder gets its name from the fact that the highs and lows can be compared to two "poles" of mood.

Bipolar disorder can take several different forms, all of which are characterized by intense mood swings known as hypomanic/manic and depressed episodes. However, hypomanic/manic or depressed states are not always present in patients when performing assessment for bipolar disorder. They also go through euthymic episodes, or times of normal mood. There are numerous efficient treatments for bipolar disorder even if there is no known cure. These therapeutic choices can teach you how to control mood swings, which will help you understand how to deal with problems on your own and benefit your symptoms as well as your general quality of life.

Types and Symptoms Of Bipolar Disorder

The assessment for bipolar disorder rules out three primary forms of bipolar disorder cyclothymia, bipolar I, and bipolar II.

1. Bipolar I

At minimum one manic episode must occur for a person to be diagnosed with bipolar I. Before and after the manic period, you could encounter major depressive episodes or hypomanic episodes, that are less extreme than manic episodes. All sexes are equally impacted by this form of bipolar disease. 

Symptoms of Bipolar I

• At least one manic episode that lasted a week.
• Symptoms that interfere with daily activities and daily habits to improve life.
• Symptoms that are unrelated to another medical illness, a mental health issue, or drug use

You might also exhibit signs of mania, sadness, or psychosis (known as mixed features). These symptoms may affect your life more severely. If you do, it would be wise to seek out expert assistance as soon as you can.

2. Bipolar II

Bipolar II patients go through one severe depressive episode that lasts for at least two weeks. Additionally, they experience at least one hypomanic episode every four days. This kind of bipolar disorder may be more prevalent in women, according to a 2017 study. It is not yet proven if is bipolar disorder genetic or not when diagnosed with this type.

Symptoms of Bipolar II

• At least one episode of hypomania lasting four days or longer, with three or more hypomanic symptoms
• Changes in mood and behavior associated with hypomania that are noticeable to others but may not necessarily have an impact on your day-to-day activities
• At least 1 major depressive episode lasting two weeks or longer
• At least 1 major depressive episode involving five or more core symptoms of depression that significantly interfere with daily functioning.
• Symptoms that are unrelated to a different medical, mental health, or substance abuse issue

Only when there is a depressive episode in bipolar II can there be psychotic symptoms of bipolar disorder. You might also go through moments of mixed mood, where you feel both hypomania and depressive symptoms at once. You won't experience mania with bipolar II, though. Your condition will be classified as bipolar I if you experience a manic episode. 

3. Cyclothymia

Hypomania and depressive episodes are frequent among those with cyclothymia. In comparison to the mania and depression brought on by bipolar I or bipolar II disorder, these episodes have shorter and milder symptoms. For an average of one to two months at a time, those who have this disorder only have no mood symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Symptoms of Cyclothymia

Over the course of two years or more, you have intermittently had hypomanic and depressive symptoms (1 year for  adolescents and children)
Symptoms that are never absent for more than two months at a time and never fully satisfy the criteria for just an episode of hypomania or depression for at least half of the two years.

Symptoms that cause great anguish and interfere with daily life and are unrelated to another medical, mental health, or drug use condition

Symptoms of cyclothymia are those that fluctuate in mood. Compared to bipolar I or II, these symptoms could be less severe. You will typically have less time when you have no symptoms because they typically stay longer.

How To Manage Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

You can control the symptoms of bipolar disorder with the use of certain treatments. Medication, counseling, and alterations to one's lifestyle are some of these. It can be advantageous to use natural bipolar disorder treatment as it can help you comprehend how to overcome mental exhaustion and truly emerge stronger and healthier out of this disorder. 

1. Medications

Some of the prescribed drugs include:

• Lithium and other mood stabilizers (Lithobid)
• Such as olanzapine, antipsychotic medications (Zyprexa)
• Such as fluoxetine-olanzapine, which are antidepressant-antipsychotics (Symbyax)
• Benzodiazepines are a class of anti-anxiety medications that are used as a short-term remedy.

Along with medications you should also work on how to overcome mental exhaustion and lead your day-to-day life battling this disorder productively. The right medications and doctors can help you do just that by ensuring that you work on daily habits to improve life and practice effective coping strategies regularly.

2. Psychotherapy

Recommended therapy approaches may include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a sort of talk therapy that enables you to recognize and deal with unhelpful ideas and alter unwelcome behavioral habits. Talking about how to control your symptoms of bipolar disorder in therapy provides a secure environment. Your therapist can assist you with understanding how to deal with problems on your own and help you benefit from the right treatment and medications. They can also:
• Comprehension of mental patterns
• Shifting negative feelings
• Learning and using more beneficial coping mechanisms

3. Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation is a therapy strategy that focuses on educating you about a condition and its management with the help of tips and strategies that help you understand how to build confidence and self esteem even when things seem difficult and consequently teach you more about the disorder and treatments. With this knowledge, you and the people who are close to you can better recognize and deal with the early symptoms of bipolar disorder.

4. Interpersonal And Social Rhythm Therapy

Regulating everyday routines, including sleeping, eating, and exercising, is the emphasis of social and interpersonal rhythm treatment. Achieving balance in these daily habits to improve life may result in fewer mood swings and milder symptoms. This kind of therapy can also help you learn about the art of loving yourself truly and accepting your flaws and shortcomings to be able to address the disorder in the most positive manner.

Conclusion

Although bipolar disorder is a chronic condition, your life need not be utterly upended by it. Living with bipolar disorder undoubtedly comes with its share of difficulties, but adhering to your treatment for bipolar disorder plan, engaging in regular self-care, and relying on your support network can all improve your general well-being and reduce symptoms. Collaborating with a doctor or a depression counselor can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life, even if treatment does not completely stop mood swings. It can also be quite beneficial to educate yourself and your dear ones on the condition.

Most importantly, know that you are not alone in this, there are many good therapists and doctors out there who can help you practice the art of loving yourself and proactive coping mechanisms even when things seem difficult. Because being brave in the face of adversity is the way to go when battling mental health disorders. So believe in yourself and get bipolar disorder treatment at the earliest to lead a brighter and healthier future.

FAQs

1. How do those with bipolar disorder behave?

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes sudden mood swings, including highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression) (depression). Depression can make you feel downhearted or hopeless and cause you to lose interest in or enjoyment of most activities.

2. What is the assessment for bipolar disorder?

A doctor will conduct a physical examination, inquire about your symptoms, and may suggest blood work to rule out other conditions that could be contributing to your symptoms of bipolar disorder, such as hypothyroidism. The doctor conducts a psychiatric examination if the underlying reason for your symptoms is not discovered.

3. Is bipolar illness curable?

Although there is no known bipolar disorder treatment, most people with the illness are able to comprehend how to build confidence and self esteem while living normal, fulfilling lives and managing their condition with the help of behavior therapy and the appropriate dosage of mood stabilizers and other bipolar medications.

4. Is there a spectrum for bipolar disorder?

Wide-ranging indications and symptoms of bipolar spectrum illness come in different degrees of severity. Mood fluctuations, adjustments in energy and thought processes, and disturbed sleep are just a few of these symptoms. As a spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder has been referred to by certain mental health professionals.

5. How long are bipolar episodes?

Early warning indications of a manic episode, sometimes known as "prodromal symptoms," might linger for weeks or months. Episodes of mania associated with bipolar disorder might last three to six months if you are not already receiving therapy. A manic episode typically improves with effective bipolar disorder treatment in approximately three months.

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