Bipolar or manic depressive disorder affects approximately three out of every two hundred people in the entire general population; and more people suffer from bipolar type I than bipolar type II. At any given time, from two to three million Americans alone suffer from mood affective disorders. Research has to this date failed to determine whether manic depression is more likely to affect certain ethnicities or races. What has been determined is that bipolar type I affects both men and women in equal intensity and frequency, while bipolar type II happens more frequently in women. Women are also at a higher risk of rapid cycling, which is when depressive and manic stages follow each other in quick succession; typically at least four times in one year.
The bipolar malady affects the brain, so it is identified as a mental illness. It occurs because of irregularities in the area of the brain known as the hippocampus. Individuals who suffer from bipolar affective disorder experience intense shifts in mood; highs and lows that are extreme and beyond normal intensity. Often individuals are unable to function properly at work or at home when mood swings persist in frequency. This can also result in faulty decision-making skills and strained relations with family and friends.
In order to diagnose someone with one of the two types of bipolar affective disorders, there may be other special circumstances and conditions that may also cause bipolar medical symptoms and must be ruled out. The person’s medical history will be thoroughly scrutinized for any previous records of mental illness. The individual’s family history will also be reviewed for any prior information on similar mood illness symptoms. Blood tests are also used to help diagnose bipolar affective disorder.
Bipolar disorder has been identified with two classifications, and physicians make the diagnosis based on the symptoms that the person displays. Type I is diagnosed when an individual suffers at least one manic episode or mixed episodes of fluctuating moods between mania and depression, often occurring very quickly, in addition to at least one episode of major depression.
Type II is less severe, and is characterized by at least one major depressive episode and at least one manic episode; or an episode in which the individual experiences a happy mood, but not so much as to prevent good judgment and functioning.
Although there is no known cure for manic depression, scientists and researchers are making breakthroughs in understanding affective disorders every day. They are confident that better treatments and even cures will be developed to aid in the treatment. In the meantime, there are medications and other treatments that can help those who suffer from mood disorders to get relief from some of their symptoms.
There are many people who have discovered that throughout the winter months they become depressed more easily. Winter depression, also known as SAD (seasonal affective disorder), is a condition that many people suffer with every year. If you suspect that you or a loved one might have this disorder, visit our site to learn more about winter depression treatments.
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- Identifying bipolar disorder in someone you love
- What to Know about Bipolar Disorder Types
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