Full detailed information on Bipolar disorder

Several mood disorders are brought together under the name bipolar disorder. This disorder is associated with manias, or episodes of excessively elevated mood. Other symptoms along with the depressive episodes can be experienced, along with the manic episode. Also, there is a chance that the depression and manic episodes are experienced in combination as one episode. There is a chance of rapid cycling, which is a succession of mania and depression in a very fast manner, but this happens rarely and the periods between the episodes are usually filled with normal mood. There are three types of bipolar disorder and they are bipolar I, bipolar II and cyclothymia. This division is made depending on the severity of the mood episodes.

Causes & Symptoms

The exact cause of the bipolar disorder is still unknown, but this illness seems to be caused by several environmental, genetic and biological factors. Bipolar disorder seems to cause a difference between the brain and the nerve cells in their chemical messengers. Also, this illness may be caused by a genetic disposition of an individual.

When a person experiences mania, energy and activity are increased and mood is elevated, but it is episodic and does not last long. Chronic illness is possible and this mostly occurs among children who experience depression, anxiety and irritability as a mixture of states. But energy will be reduced during the periods of depression, which will also cause mood lowering, and this is something that happens among adults and children as well.

Treatment

Family doctor may treat this problem, but he will probably consult a psychiatrist. Mood swings can be controlled and this can be done in collaboration with your doctor. Medicines will help with the mood changes and those are mood stabilizers, which work with the mood elevation and lowering, depending on the mood. Depression symptoms can be reduced with the use of antidepressants. The results of this treatment will be visible after two weeks of use and remember to listen to the advice of your doctor. The nature of the bipolar disorder is dual and this is why several medicines will be needed for the treatment. One medicine is used for mania control and another for the depression control, which is the most usual scenario when treatment of bipolar disorder is in question. This will restore balance, but in some cases, mood stabilizer, the third medicine, may need to be employed as well. One of the most frequently used mood stabilizer is Topomax. Zipoasidone, olanzapine, carbamazepine and valproate are some of the popular medications used for this treatment. Lithium is another medicine, based on sodium, and it can restore chemical balance in the brain, thus preventing the manic episodes. Rapid cycling bipolar is mostly treated with Depakote or Valproate, which were first used as seizure medications.