Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness characterize by recurrent episodes of mania (ranging from euphoria or elation to dysphoria) followed by depression (feeling of severe sadness). This illness is most common on late adolescence and early adulthood. There is no specific cause as to how this mental illness develops but certain theories are linked to bipolar disorder. According to some theories, bipolar disorder seen as a complex behavior that has many contributing factors. Another theories propose are biological theories where bipolar disorder is associated with the imbalance of neurotransmitters, norephinephrine and serotonin which leads to depression, as mania results from the inability to modulate neuronal excitation. Bipolar disorder runs through the family and more likely to pass to another generation if the disorder is present in the first-degree family members.

Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder is widely depends on the mood of the person having this disorder. A person may feel happy at first but later exhibits a feeling of sadness.

Bipolar disorder signs and symptoms are classified into types of moods - mania, depression or cyclothymia (mixed episodes)

Mania

• Unusual feeling of elevation and expansive or irritable mood. 
• Exhibits flight of ideas, grandiose delusion
• Hyperactive exhibitions  
• Rapid and clanging speech (loud noise when talking) 
• Easily distracted and unable to focus

Depression

• Despairing mood
• Feeling of hopelessness and worthlessness
• Loss of appetite
• Isolation 
• Feeling of weakness
• Unable to fall asleep
• Suicidal ideations
• Filled with negative thoughts

Cyclothymia

This is combine with both mania and depression. A person may exhibits a feeling of sadness, fatigue, isolation with preoccupied thoughts, irritability and anxiety.

Treatments

The usual treatment of bipolar disorder is best combine with different approaches. These inlcude drugs, counseling from psychiatrist and educational management.

The course of treatment of this mental problem needs a consistent surveillance from the health care professional because the non-compliance of medical treatments which involve certain drugs are high among patients. Most common drugs prescribed by the physician for treatment of bipolar includes, antipsychotic drugs which mainly control the mood of patient in mania such as hyperactivity, restlessness and irritability. Other drugs also are the most common ones such as Lithium and anti-convulsant drugs as mood stabilizers to prevent the onset of mood swings and reduce the risk of suicide.

For patient in state of depression, the treatments are usually intriguing and arguable. Using antidepressant drugs is less likely effective because the depressed patient will shift into manic mood.

A latest reasearch conducted by researchers in University of  Utah Brain Institute prove a positive results of two substances that naturally produced by our body to relieve the symptoms of manic-depressive illness. These two substances are creatine - an amino acid promoting the transfer of energy in brain and muscle cells- and uridine, a "nucleoside" needed to produce glycogen and is a natural substance in our body manucfacture in the liver. Uridine is thought to be came from the breast milk or infant milk formula that helps in brain development.