Featured Column
Cause of the Month - July

What is depression?
Understanding depression and recognizing the symptoms of depression — including postpartum depression.

Bi-Polar
From high to low. From mania to depression. From recklessness to listlessness. These are the extremes associated with bipolar disorder, a mental illness characterized by mood instability that can be serious and disabling. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depression or manic-depressive illness — manic behavior is one extreme of this disorder, and depression is the other.

The deep mood swings of bipolar disorder may last for weeks or months, causing great disturbances in the lives of those affected, and those of great disturbances in the lives of those affected, and those of family and friends, too. Today, a growing volume of research suggests that bipolar disorder occurs across a spectrum of symptoms, and that many people aren't correctly diagnosed. Left untreated, bipolar disorder generally worsens, and the suicide rate is high among those with bipolar disorder. But with effective treatment, you can live an enjoyable and productive life despite bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder symptoms are characterized by an alternating pattern of emotional highs (mania) and lows (depression). The intensity of signs and symptoms can vary from mild to severe. There may even be periods when your life doesn't seem affected at all.

Manic phase of bipolar disorder
Signs and symptoms of the manic phase of bipolar disorder may include:

Euphoria
Extreme optimism
Inflated self-esteem
Poor judgment
Rapid speech
Racing thoughts
Aggressive behavior
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
Drug abuse

It's not known what causes bipolar disorder. But a variety of biochemical, genetic and environmental factors seem to be involved in causing and triggering bipolar episodes:

Biochemical.
Some evidence from high-tech imaging studies indicates that people with bipolar disorder have physical changes in their brains. The significance of these changes is still uncertain but may eventually help pinpoint causes. The naturally occurring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are tied to mood, also chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are tied to mood, also may play a role. Hormonal imbalances also are thought to be a culprit. Genes. Some studies show that bipolar disorder is more common in people whose biological family members also have the condition. Researchers are trying to find genes that may be involved in causing bipolar disorder. Some studies also show links between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, pointing to a shared genetic cause. Environment. Environment also is thought to play a causal role in some way. Some studies of identical twins show that one twin has the condition while the other doesn't — which means genes alone aren't responsible for bipolar disorder. Environmental causes may include problems with self-esteem, significant loss or high stress It's estimated that about 1 percent of the population has bipolar disorder. However, some researchers suggest that bipolar disorder occurs on a continuum, and that many more people may have other forms of the disorder, pushing its prevalence as high as 6 percent of the population. In addition, some people may go undiagnosed because they don't seek treatment, because their condition is mistaken for depression or because their symptoms don't meet current diagnostic criteria.

Bipolar I disorder affects about the same number of men and women, but

Bipolar I disorder affects about the same number of men and women, but bipolar II, the rapid cycling form, is more common in women. In either case, bipolar disorder usually starts between ages 15 and 30.

Factors that may increase the risk of developing bipolar disorder include:

Having other biological family members with bipolar disorder
Periods of high stress
Drug abuse
Death

Read all about Depression here:

Submitted by Pattie~