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WHAT IS BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic-depressive illness and will be called by both names throughout this publication--is a mental illness involving episodes of serious mania and depression. The person's mood usually swings from overly "high" and irritable to sad and hopeless and then back again, with periods of normal mood in between.
Bipolar disorder typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. It is often not recognized as an illness, and people who have it may suffer needlessly for years or even decades.
Effective treatments are available that greatly alleviate the suffering caused by bipolar disorder and can usually prevent its devastating complications. These include marital break-ups, job loss, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide.
Here are some facts about bipolar disorder.
AWARENESS
Manic-Depressive Illness Has a Devastating Impact on Many People.
At least 2 million Americans suffer from manic-depressive illness. For those afflicted with the illness, it is extremely distressing and disruptive.
Like other serious illnesses, bipolar disorder is also hard on spouses, family members, friends, and employers.
Family members of people with bipolar disorder often have to cope with serious behavioral problems (such as wild spending sprees) and the lasting consequences of these behaviors.
Bipolar disorder tends to run in families and is believed to be inherited in many cases. Despite vigorous research efforts, a specific genetic defect associated with the disease has not yet been detected.
Bipolar illness has been diagnosed in children under age 12, although it is not common in this age bracket. It can be confused with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, so careful diagnosis is necessary.
D/ART: A National Educational Program
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has launched the Depression/Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment (D/ART) campaign to help people:
Recognize the symptoms of depressive disorders, including bipolar disorder
Obtain an accurate diagnosis
Obtain effective treatments
D/ART Also:
Encourages and trains health care professionals to recognize the signs of manic-depressive illness and utilize the most up-to-date treatment approaches
Organizes citizens' advocacy groups to extend the D/ART program
Works with industry to improve recognition, treatment, and insurance coverage for depressive disorders
RECOGNITION
Bipolar disorder involves cycles of mania and depression.
Signs and symptoms of mania include discrete periods of:
Increased energy, activity, restlessness, racing thoughts, and rapid talking
Excessive "high" or euphoric feelings
Extreme irritability and distractibility
Decreased need for sleep
Unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities and powers
Uncharacteristically poor judgment
A sustained period of behavior that is different from usual
Increased sexual drive
Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
Denial that anything is wrong
Signs and symptoms of depression include discrete periods of:
Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities, including sex
Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being "slowed down"
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Restlessness or irritability
Sleep disturbances
Loss of appetite and weight, or weight gain
Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical disease
Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
It may be helpful to think of the various mood states in manic-depressive illness as a spectrum or continuous range. At one end is severe depression, which shades into moderate depression; then come mild and brief mood disturbances that many people call "the blues," then normal mood, then hypomania (a mild form of mania), and then mania.
Some people with untreated bipolar disorder have repeated depressions and only an occasional episode of hypomania (bipolar II). In the other extreme, mania may be the main problem and depression may occur only infrequently. In fact, symptoms of mania and depression may be mixed together in a single "mixed" bipolar state.
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