Bipolar mood disorder / manic-depressive psychosis
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Bipolar mood disorder, also known as manic-depressive psychosis (MDP), is a type of mood disorder characterised by mood swings. Many people experience normal mood swings from "Monday morning blues " to mild euphoria.
In bipolar mood disorder, there are swings from extreme depression to great elation or mania and hyperactivity, occasionally at times losing touch with reality. However, there are also long periods of complete normality. Manic depressives suffer from an extreme of mood change over a more prolonged period and are regarded as being clinically ill during these attacks. A doctor or psychiatrist will look at whether an attack of mania is accompanied by depression before diagnosing bipolar mood disorder.
Bipolar mood disorder typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. It is often not recognised as an illness and people who have it may suffer needlessly for years or even decades.
Causes
Much research is being carried out as to the causes of bipolar mood disorder but there are no definite conclusions yet. There may be a genetic predisposition to the illness such that other family members may also suffer from this illness. It could also be triggered by major stress events or hormonal changes such as those occurring after childbirth. It may also be due to a chemical imbalance affecting that area of the brain responsible for "moods", thus causing changes in feelings and behaviour.
Symptoms
1. Depression
depressed or in low mood
a loss of interest and enjoyment in life
a lack of drive and motivation that makes even simple tasks and decisions difficult or impossible
utter fatigue
agitation and restlessness
loss of appetite with loss of weight
insomnia
loss of outward affection, loss of interest in sex
loss of self-confidence, avoiding people
feeling useless, inadequate, bad, helpless and hopeless
feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness
feeling worse at a particular time of day, usually mornings
suicidal thoughts; these are very common in depression and they are signs that help is needed.
2. Mania & Hypomania
elated mood
increased activity & energy
inability or unwillingness
to sleep
rapid speech, flow of ideas & thoughts
inflated self-esteem
irritability & impatience
increased sexual drive & lack of sexual inhibitions
loss of judgment & impulsive decision making
irrational spending of money & involvement in questionable endeavors
grandiose delusions
An early sign of bipolar mood disorder may be hypomania. This is a state in which the person shows a high level of energy, excessive moodiness or irritability, and impulsive or reckless behaviour. Hypomania may feel good to the person who experiences this and the sufferer seldom thinks that anything is wrong and may object quite violently if anyone tries to point this out to him or her.
With experience, it is possible for some people to recognise their condition but often in an extreme state, all understanding is lost. It is not unusual for someone suffering an attack to break the law perhaps during a flight of fancy, about of excessive spending, committing a fraud, or fortunately, very rarely, of committing a physical assault.
3. Mixed States
A few people sometimes experience a combination of symptoms from both mania and depression. For example, a high level of activity may be combined with a low level of concentration and a depressed attitude towards life. This can lead to an increased risk of suicide attempt.
Mood swings in many cases (60-80%) can be controlled or reduced by medications such as mood stabilisers. The most frequently used medication is lithium carbonate. This requires careful monitoring with regular blood tests to check for effective levels.
Treatment
Lithium can keep mood swings within socially and individually acceptable levels and can stave off the worst of the attacks. The treatment can allow the person to lead a normal and useful life. Unfortunately for a minority of sufferers, this treatment either has little significant effect or for an even smaller minority, has unacceptable side effects. Some of the side effects of lithium carbonate are:
frequent urination and thirst
hand tremors
skin rashes
Other mood stabilisers include anti-convulsants such as carbamazepine and sodium valproate. At times other drugs are also used to treat either the depression or the mania. Sometimes, more than one drug is required. These drugs include antidepressants, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines. For every drug, there is a "side effect". These drugs are used only to hasten a return to normality and it is seldom that they have to be continuously given
Another treatment sometimes used in cases of severe depression and occasionally mania is Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT). When administered, the patient is given a muscle relaxant and a short acting general anaesthetic. A strictly controlled electrical current is passed across the brain from electrodes placed against the head. There may be a loss of memory for the period of the treatment but there is no evidence of long-term effects on memory. Generally severe depression can be successfully improved by ECT. -
hey phobic,
i think u r suffering from this illness rite?
i can totally relate after i did a research on this thing..
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I envy people who suffer from psychosis. Their creativity knows no boundaries.
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Dont envy them you dont understand the agony they have to go thru.Originally posted by shade343:I envy people who suffer from psychosis. Their creativity knows no boundaries. -
heheh, maybe u r joking or wad..i dont mind or anithing..Originally posted by shade343:I envy people who suffer from psychosis. Their creativity knows no boundaries.
but what the moderator had mentioned is totally true manz
hmm, there is no awareness about such things in Singapore..
i wonder if singaporeans could accept this kinda things.. -
its easy for people who don't understand to say things.Originally posted by somepersonlah:heheh, maybe u r joking or wad..i dont mind or anithing..
but what the moderator had mentioned is totally true manz
hmm, there is no awareness about such things in Singapore..
i wonder if singaporeans could accept this kinda things..
people, everyone, friends, relatives will avoid and stygma you once you admit your problem so everything must be kept under wraps and controlled on the surface. Deep below , even when its going to explode, really there is not many place to turn to. But what do you expect, this is "good, clean" singapore. everything is so artificially happy that it sickens me. -
not everyone... we usually know of famous example eg Charlin chaplin, John nash, howard hughesOriginally posted by shade343:I envy people who suffer from psychosis. Their creativity knows no boundaries. -
Its almost an urban myth that such patients possesed extraordinary talents... jus like successful entrepreneur has to be a sch drop out...
