Bipolar Frustrations

Bipolar Type III: Cyclothymia

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:02:49 +0000

Bipolar disorder has many different variations. One little known variation is Bipolar type III, or Cyclothymia. A person who has developed this experiences moods that cycle between hypomania – a “high” that can be mild to fairly severe but does not include delusions, hallucinations or other psychotic features – and depression, also mild to fairly severe but not incapacitating or suicidal (1a)

In order to be diagnosed, all the criteria must be met for a hypomanic episode, but symptoms do not qualify as manic or major depressive episodes, symptoms never ease up for more than two months, there hasn’t been a manic, mixed or major depressive episode in the first two years of symptoms, another disorder is not responsible for symptoms, and symptoms are not caused by a drug or general medical condition (1b).

The hypomanic phase of cyclothymia can consist of unusually good mood or cheerfulness (euphoria), extreme optimism, inflated self-esteem, poor judgment, rapid speech, racing thoughts, aggressive or hostile behavior, being inconsiderate of others, agitation,increased physical activity, risky behavior, spending sprees, increased drive to perform or achieve goals, increased sexual drive, decreased need for sleep, tendency to be easily distracted, inability to concentrate. On the flip side, the depressive phase consists of: sadness, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts or behavior, anxiety, guilt, sleep problems, appetite problems, fatigue, loss of interest in daily activities, decreased sex drive, problems concentrating, irritability, chronic pain without a known cause. Outside of hereditary, environment factors, and and your bodies chemistry, it is not really known what cause cyclothymia to occur. If let untreated, it can develop into bipolar disorder (1c).

It if often seen as a milder form of Bipolar disorder but it should still be taken seriously. It can significantly alter one’s life, such as prevent you from holding a consistent job, keep a healthy romantic relationship, or maintaining friendships. Treatment should be sought by your doctor. Prescription medicine has proved quite effective in stabilizing emotions.

Citations:

1: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cyclothymia/DS00729

Emotional Extremes: Mixed Bipolar Disorder

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:59:40 +0000

An interesting phenomena of the mind is when both mood “poles” of mania and depression are experience during an episode, or in rapid succession. About six million people in the US conceived bipolar disorder, and of that, 20%-70% of those people experience mixed episodes. It has been found that when an individual develops bipolar disorder at a young age, they are more likely to experience mixed bipolar disorder. (1a).

How can someone go through mania and depression at the same time? With a mental illness such as this, it really defies any sort of emotional pattern that can be expected. It just needs to be taken as it is. A person with a mixed manic episode could literally be crying hysterically while exclaiming that they have never felt this good in their life. Mixed manic episodes can last from days to years, if left untreated. Mixed bipolar disorder episodes tend to last longer.

People with “regular” bipolar disorder may appear to have mixed bipolar disorder while under the influence of alcohol, cocaine, or other drugs (1b)

The most serious risk of mixed bipolar disorder is suicide. People with bipolar disorder are 10 to 20 times more likely to commit suicide than people without bipolar disorder. Tragically, 8% to 20% of people with bipolar disorder eventually lose their lives to suicide (1c).

The path towards self treatment involves prescription drugs. Litihium is better used over on a long term. Speaking of drugs, people with bipolar disorders are a higher risk for substance abuse. Nearly 60% of people with bipolar disorder go through substance abuse. (1d)

Treatment reduces the likelihood of serious depression and suicide. Lithium in particular, taken long-term, reduces the risk. Mixed manic episodes generally require treatment with medication. Unfortunately, mixed bipolar disorder is more difficult to control than other forms of bipolar disorder. The main drugs used to treat mixed manic episodes are mood stabilizers and antipyschotics (1e),

Citations:

1: http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/mixed-bipolar-disorder

A Crazy Combo: Bipolar Schizoaffective Disorder

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:57:29 +0000

A mental illness not often heard like its brother, bipolar disorder,bipolar schizoaffective. It is said to be possibly the rarest of mental disease can be very difficult to diagnose. Symptoms must include psychotic episodes found in schizophrenia and intense mood swings of bipolar disorder (1a). Though it may seem like it, it is not Bipolar disorder type 1. It has a lot in common with it but has enough differences to be classified as its own mental illness.To be diagnosed with schizoaffective bipolar disorder, a patient must also have psychotic symptoms for at least two weeks during a phase of normalcy (1b). A lot of people with schizoaffective bipolar disorder are either diagnosed as having schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder.

Behaviors typical of Schizoaffective disorder most common are auditory hallucinations, paranoia, bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social and occupational dysfunction. Whether the individual has ever had a manic, hypomanic or mixed episode determined if they are divided into the depressive and bipolar types Symptoms usually begin in early adulthood, which makes diagnosis prior to age 13 rare (1c). Genetics, early environment, neurobiology, psychological and social processes are all factors. Prescription and recreational drugs can worsen symptoms or increase chances of them appearing (2a).

People with schizoaffective disorder are likely to have social problems, such as long-term unemployment, poverty and homelessness. The average life expectancy of people with the disorder is shorter, due to increased physical health problems and a higher suicide rate (2b).
Untreated, the individual may suddenly have negative thoughts about their romantic partner,family, or friends and could be primed to attack them or isolate themselves.

With enough treatment, many individuals with schizoaffective disorder may recover much, most or even all of their functionality. Treatment consists of prescription medicine such as mood stabilizers and antipsychotics (2c).

Citations
1: http://www.lifeloveandbipolar.com/schizoaffective_bipolar_disorder.html
2: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mood_stabilizer

Bipolar Disorder in Children

admin — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:53:57 +0000

The unfortunate mental illness where one goes in out of different extremes, completely out of control with their emotions, sometimes out of touch with reality, can also occur in children. It’s called Pediatric Bipolar disorder.

It doesn’t affect every child in the same way. How severe, frequent, intense, and long a child’s symptoms can differ wildly. Whats terrible is that as the child grows, the disorder may affect the size, shape, and functions of brain regions. Due to this, Pediatric Bipolar disorder is considered a nuerodevelopmental disorder. Parts of the brain mature at different rates and times; brain maturation is not complete until an individual is 25 or so. Consequently, the symptoms and diagnosis of a psychiatric illness may change as the child grows (1a). There is currently no cure for Pediatric Bipolar disorder. However, there are lots of studies and progress being made.

The following behaviors could be symptoms of pediatric bipolar disorder: Severe and recurring depression, explosive, destructive or lengthy rages, especially after the age of four, extreme sadness or lack of interest in play, severe separation anxiety, talk of wanting to die or kill themselves or others, dangerous behaviors, such as trying to jump from a fast moving car or a roof, grandiose belief in own abilities that defy the laws of logic (possessing ability to fly), sexualized behavior unusual for the child’s age, impulsive aggression, delusional beliefs and hallucinations, extreme hostility, extreme or persistent irritability, telling teachers how to teach the class, bossing adults around, creativity that seems driven or compulsive, excessive involvement in multiple projects and activities, compulsive craving for certain objects or foods, hearing voices telling them to take harmful action, racing thoughts, pressure to keep talking, sleep disturbances, including gory nightmares or not sleeping very much, and drawings or stories with extremely graphic violence (1b). Its important to recognize that depression in children and teens is often chronic and cyclical. A significant proportion of children with depression may actually be experiencing the early onset of bipolar disorder, but have not yet experienced the manic phase of the illness (1c). Diagnosis is a fickle thing. Either its too early to tell, too gray to categorize, or too late to matter.

Citations

1: http://www.thebalancedmind.org/learn/library/about-pediatric-bipolar-disorder?page=all

Rapid-cycling through Mania

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:48:13 +0000

Rapid cycling bipolarism is when episodes of mania or depression occur 4 or more times a year. About 3% of the US population conceive bipolar disorder. However, amongst that percentage, 10% to 20% have rapid cycling. People with bipolar type II are more likely to experience rapid cycling (1a).

Rapid cycle bipolarism can be difficult to diagnose. Since the individual goes through several reoccurring episodes of mostly depression and some light mania, it could be interpreted as clinical depression (1b). In one study on bipolar type II’s, time spent being depressed was more than 35 times than that of hypomania (1c). Thus treatment often begins with relieving depression.

Antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft can reduce depression in rapid cycling bipolar disorder. However, taking antidepressants alone can actually increase the degree of rapid cycling, and also trigger manic episodes.

For this reason, mood stabilizers must be taken with antidepressants. Mood stabilizers include antiseizure medicines (like Depakote or Tegretol), and antipsychotics, such as Zyprexa. Lithium is another medication that may be used to treat rapid cycling bipolar disorder.

Mood stabilizers are also the treatment for manic or hypomanic symptoms.

Treatment with mood stabilizers is usually continued even when a person is symptom-free. This helps prevent rapid cycling. Antidepressants are generally tapered as soon as depression is under control. Many people need to take two or more medicines daily to control rapid cycling bipolar disorder (1d).

The largest killer of people with bipolar disorder is suicide. Those with bipolar disorder are 10 to 20 times more likely to commit suicide. Unfortunately, 8% to 20% bipolar persons end up going through with it. In fact those with rapid cycle bipolar disorder are more likely to commit suicide because they have more reoccurring episodes of depression. Also, almost 60% of people with bipolar disorder abuse drugs and alcohol (1e). It’s a sad thing to see someone go through.

Citations

1: http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/rapid-cycling-bipolar-disorder?page=1

The Second Type

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 02:39:52 +0000

Bipolar II is reserved for those who are not quite as crazy as their bipolar type 1 peers. Their elevated moods are called hypomanic episodes. Also, depression is commonly experienced by these individuals. This is where the term “manic depression” comes from.

Even though it seems that Bipolar II is just a milder version, and is very often described as such, it is not quite the case. The suicide rate can sometime be higher for Bipolar type II than type 1, so it definitely shouldn’t be treated mildly (1a). Episodes of depression are much more regular and is are bigger part of their life than type 1’s.

However, type 2’s can often be pleasant to be around. They can be the life of the party, joking around, and entertaining everyone. The thing is that this kind of energy can lead to erratic behaviors and taking many high risks. Some people cycle back and forth between hypomania and depression, while others have long periods of normal mood in between episodes. Untreated, an episode of hypomania can last anywhere from a few days to several years. Most commonly, symptoms continue for a few weeks to a few months (1b). Hypomania can be sometimes be interpreted as happiness and relentless optimism. When hypomania is not causing unhealthy behavior, it generally goes untreated.

Causes of bipolarism haven’t been really found. Very few studies have been conducted, however researches have found that patients with either Bipolar I or II have increased levels of blood calcium concentrations and diminished size in the prefrontal and temporal regions of the brain. The studies that have been conducted did not find a significant difference between those with Bipolar I or Bipolar II (2a).

So if one is diagnosed as bipolar II, it is usually the depression episodes that are the most destructive in the individual’s life, not the semi-manic episodes themselves.

Citations

1: http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/02_diagnosis.html

2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_II_disorder

Bipolar 101

admin — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:00:54 +0000

Bipolar I is affects 2.5% of the U.S. population, which is roughly 6 million people. Most people develop it in their late adolescence, during their teens or even into their 20’s (1a). If you have someone in your family who is bipolar, you have an increased chance of getting it. When one experiences a manic episode, their elevated mood is experienced as either euphoria and/or irritability. Behaviors exhibited by bipolar individuals are flying suddenly from one idea to the next, rapid, “pressured,” and loud speech, increased energy, with hyperactivity and a decreased need for sleep, inflated self-image, excessive spending, hypersexuality, substance abuse. They may spend money far above their limit, have random sex with people they wouldn’t have otherwise. If they have severe episodes, they could lose touch with reality completely. If their condition is left untreated, one’s episode could last several days or even a few years (1b). It can be difficult to consider them cured or that the episodes have stopped because they might experience long periods without symptoms in between episodes. A minority have rapid-cycling symptoms of mania and depression even alternating between mania and depression in the same day.(1c)

In order to get treated, it involves taking lots of drugs: antidepressants, mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines, and newer antipyschotics. There is also electroconvulsive therapy, ETC (I thought that was only in horror movies). It is effective in treating manic symptoms so and can be helpful if medicinal treatment doesn’t work.

Symptoms of bipolar can definitely be experienced under the influence of drugs or medication. In fact thats why they are taken, who doesn’t want a rush of elevated euphoria? However if a manic episode persist after the drug has worn off, then you could likely be diagnosed with bipolarism. It’s an illness that can severely impair your life, and prevent you from having a job, a love-life, or amounting to anything. It’s something that should be taken seriously.

Citations

1: http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-1-disorder?page=1

Just How Crazy Are You?

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:00:17 +0000

If someone is bipolar, just how bipolar are they? This question brought up the creation of the bipolar spectrum. These disorders range from bipolar I disorder, featuring full-blown manic episodes, to cyclothymia, featuring less prominent hypomanic episodes, to “subsyndromal” conditions where only some of the criteria for mania or hypomania are met. J. Angst ( really?) introduced a nomenclature system to classify the nuances of individual experience as follows: (1a)

M—severe mania
D—severe depression (unipolar depression)
m—less severe mania (hypomania)
d—less severe depression

So for example, mD would mean that the person is hypomanic and goes through sever depression. Even the order of the letters further distinguishes the order of the episodes in they which they are experienced. Although many psychiatrists find the bipolar spectrum concept useful, it has not yet been adopted widely.(2a)

The introduction of the bipolar spectrum causes two further distinctions of bipolarism: Bipolar III and Bipolar IV(2b). There definitions are as follows:

Bipolar III, defined as hypomanic episodes which occur only after taking antidepressant medications.
Bipolar IV, a disorder of ultra-rapid cycling of mood between hypomania or mania and depression.

The bipolar spectrum is a concept which observes that many people with depression, substance abuse, and other conditions share many of bipolar disorder’s symptoms.

Under this concept, such people’s conditions are in the “bipolar spectrum,” without qualifying as true bipolar disorder. (2b) Due to this, diagnosis can become somewhat difficult. There are times when when the presence of another mental disorder has one share symptoms with that of bipolar disorder. Although these people do not meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder, some psychiatrists believe they have something important in common with people with bipolar disorder. (2c) It’s silly to think that the experience of an individual, given certain chemical imbalances, will always exhibit symptoms that fit neatly into categories. It’s not black and white. Existence is gray.

Citations

1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_spectrum

2: http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-spectrum-categories

The Difference Between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 02:28:28 +0000

To the average individual who doesn’t study psychology from time to time, it may be unknown to them a little fact about Bipolarism. There actually two types of diagnoses, those being Bipolar I and Bipolar II.

The biggest difference between them is their severity. Let’s introduce two terms: Manic and hypomanic. In the hypomania of bipolar 2, a person has a sustained mood that is elevated (heightened), expansive (grand, superior) or irritable. This mood has to be noticeably different from his or her normal mood when not depressed. In mania, that mood is abnormally different, and is also combined with increased activity or energy that is also abnormal.(1a) So in other words, let’s say John is a pretty much a chill, quiet, perhaps shy guy but randomly becomes super energetic, the life the of the party, sings in public, etc. It is not strange for a person to behave this way, but it is strange for John to behave this way. Therefore he is hypomanic. Now lets say Rodney, John’s friend, likes to go around and stick I love you cards on people’s cars and visit’s people’s house in the middle of the night without a word’s notice, this is abnormal for anyone to do, and is therefore manic.

There are also behaviors that manics exhibit but are not exhibited by those that are hypomanic. Some of these behaviors include delusions or hallucinations, episodes must last as least one week or require hospitalization, indulging in excessive high-risk behaviors, grandiose thinking that you are better than anyone else, and not needing much sleep without feeling fatigued.

Also, if any of these symptoms are caused by a drug or other medical problem, then bipolar mania is likely to be ruled out.(1b) However the upcoming new edition of the DSM says “A full manic episode emerging during antidepressant treatment and persisting beyond the physiological effect of that treatment is sufficient evidence for a manic episode diagnosis.”

So next time one of your friends starts acting really crazy, place close attention. You may know something about them that they don’t.

Citations

1:http://bipolar.about.com/cs/faqs/f/faq_bp12dif.htm

Bipolar Journalists, Politicians and Business People

admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:28:58 +0000

Politicians and Journalists
Alastair Campbell, press advisor
Dick Cavett, television journalist
Iris Chang, historian and journalist
Neil Cole, Australian Labor party
Michael Costa, Australian Labor party
Charmaine Dragun, former Australian journalist/newsreader
Abbie Hoffman, political activist
Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy
Bill Lichtenstein, print and broadcast journalist
Jane Pauley
Gail Porter, British TV presenter

Business People
Philip Graham, publisher and businessman
John A. Mulheren, American financier, stock and option trader and philanthropist
Rene Rivkin, entrepreneur
Steven Thomas, entrepreneur
Mark Whitacre, business executive

Bipolar Frustrations

Bipolar Type III: Cyclothymia

Related Reading

Emotional Extremes: Mixed Bipolar Disorder

Related Reading

A Crazy Combo: Bipolar Schizoaffective Disorder

Related Reading

Bipolar Disorder in Children

Related Reading

Rapid-cycling through Mania

Related Reading

The Second Type

Related Reading

Bipolar 101

Related Reading

Just How Crazy Are You?

Related Reading

The Difference Between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2

Related Reading

Bipolar Journalists, Politicians and Business People

Random Posts