Bipolar Disorder Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Bipolar disorder or bipolar disorder is a type of psychiatric disorder characterized by extreme mood swings.
The disorder can alternate between depressive episodes (deep sadness, hopelessness) and manic episodes (overexcitation).
These mental health disorders can last a lifetime. However, psychotherapy and drug administration will be able to help sufferers carry out their daily activities.
When viewed from the symptoms and signs, there are several types of bipolar disorder. Types and types of bipolar disorder, namely:
1. Bipolar disorder type I
In this type of disorder, the predominant episode of recurrent mood disturbance is manic.
2. Bipolar disorder type II
In this type of disorder, the predominant episode of recurrent mood disorder is depression.
In severe conditions, bipolar can be a serious and dangerous condition.
People with type I bipolar disorder are prone to harming others, for example throwing tantrums, hitting, and so on.
Meanwhile, people with type II bipolar disorder can endanger themselves, for example by attempting suicide.
Bipolar Disorder
| Medical specialist | Psychiatrist or Psychiatrist |
| Symptom | Drastic mood changes, experiencing manic and depressive episodes |
| risk factor | Having a close relative with a history of bipolar disorder, experiencing a period of severe stress or a traumatic event, or abusing drugs or alcohol |
| How to diagnose | Physical and laboratory examination, psychiatric assessment, mood chart assessment, bipolar disorder assessment criteria |
| Treatment | Psychotherapy and administration of medical drugs |
| Drug | Mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antidepressant-antipsychotics, and anti-anxiety medications |
| Complications | Drug and alcohol abuse, suicide or attempted suicide, legal or financial problems, poor social relationships |
| When to See a Doctor? | If there are symptoms of a manic or depressive episode, as well as a suicide attempt |
Symptom
Generally, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are characterized by episodes of mood disorders that are too extreme, namely manic and depressive. Between episodes of mood disorder, the sufferer looks like a normal person.
Manic symptoms are different from normal excitement. People who are in a manic state have excessive energy. They will tend to behave destructively, as well as annoy other people.
Symptoms of a manic bipolar episode include:
- Hard to sleep
- Looks too confident
- Speaks faster than usual and changes topics easily
- Difficulty concentrating
- Look restless, more easily angry at others
- Look flashy and tend to waste money
- Make surprising decisions
- It can be accompanied by false beliefs (delusions), for example feeling that he is the greatest person in the world, believes that his father is the president, and so on.
- It is called a manic condition when the above symptoms last for at least four days.
Meanwhile, when a bipolar sufferer experiences an episode of depression, he or she will appear to experience extreme sadness for which the cause is unexplained.
These depressive episodes are different from ordinary sadness. In depression, the sad condition causes the sufferer to be unable to carry out their usual activities.
This can occur for more than two weeks. The characteristics of a bipolar depressive episode include:
- Feeling sad, empty, or useless
- Reluctant to do any activity, including reluctant to do his hobby
- Feeling like you don’t have the energy to move
- Difficulty sleeping, or even sleeping too much
- Haunted by feelings of guilt
- Can’t concentrate at work or school
- Thoughts of suicide or even attempted suicide
Reason
Until now, the cause of the bipolar disorder is not known with certainty.
Several studies indicate the possibility of genetic factors that play a role in triggering this disorder.
Having a family member who has bipolar disorder makes a person more susceptible to experiencing it.
Risk Factors
Several risk factors for bipolar disorder or act as triggers for the first episode of bipolar disorder include:
- Having a close relative (nuclear family), such as a parent or sibling, with a history of bipolar disorder
- Going through or experiencing periods of intense stress, such as the death of a family member or loved one and other traumatic events
- Drug or alcohol abuse
Diagnosis
To determine whether a person has bipolar disorder, evaluations that may be done include:
1. Physical and Laboratory Examination
The doctor will physically examine the patient and recommend laboratory tests as a screening to identify other medical problems that can trigger symptoms.
2. Psychiatrist Assessment
Doctors will usually refer patients to a psychiatrist to talk about thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns.
You can also complete a psychological self-assessment or questionnaire. With the patient’s consent, family members or close friends may be asked to provide information about the symptoms they are experiencing.
3. Mood Chart
You may be asked to record changes in mood, sleep patterns, or other factors in a diary.
These things can help doctors to diagnose and find the right treatment.
4. Criteria for Bipolar Disorder
The psychiatrist may compare your symptoms with the criteria for bipolar disorder and related disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
The DSM-5 itself is published by the American Psychiatric Association.
Treatment
Bipolar disorder treatment is carried out by a psychiatrist or psychiatric specialist.
Bipolar treatment includes psychotherapy and medication administration. Here’s an explanation.
1. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is carried out by means of counseling to explore the emotions and life problems experienced by sufferers.
Bipolar sufferers are also trained to be aware of mood changes they are experiencing and learn how to overcome them from within themselves.
2. Drugs
Medicines or medical therapy that psychiatrists usually give are as follows:
3. Mood stabilizers
People with bipolar disorder usually need mood stabilizers to control manic or hypomanic episodes.
Examples of mood stabilizers include lithium, valproic acid, divalproex sodium, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine.
4. Antipsychotics
If depressive or manic symptoms persist despite treatment with other drugs, additional antipsychotic drugs may be used.
Antipsychotic drugs such as olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, aripiprazole, ziprasidone, and lurasidone.
Doctors may prescribe some of these medications alone or in conjunction with a mood stabilizer.
5. Antidepressants
Doctors may add antidepressants to help manage depression.
However, because antidepressants can sometimes trigger manic episodes, they are usually prescribed along with a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic.
6. Antidepressants-antipsychotics
The drug Symbyax combines the antidepressant fluoxetine and the antipsychotic olanzapine. This drug works as a treatment for depression and a mood stabilizer.
7. Anti-anxiety medication
Benzodiazepines can help with anxiety and improve sleep. This drug is usually used for the short term.
If bipolar symptoms cause sufferers to tend to harm themselves or others, they generally need to be hospitalized for a while.
Prevention
Actually, there is no specific way to prevent the emergence of bipolar disorder.
However, prompt treatment when minor symptoms appear can help prevent bipolar disorder or other mental health problems from worsening.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, these strategies can help prevent minor symptoms from developing into major depressive or manic episodes:
- Always pay attention to the existing warning signs.
Treating symptoms early can prevent episodes from getting worse.
We can involve family members and friends to monitor the warning sign
- Avoid alcohol as well as drugs. Consuming alcohol or recreational drugs can exacerbate symptoms and at the same time risks triggering a relapse
- Take regular medication as directed by the doctor. Stopping treatment or even reducing the dose unilaterally risks causing withdrawal effects.
It can also worsen or trigger a flare-up of symptoms
Complications
If left untreated, bipolar disorder can lead to serious problems that affect every aspect of life, such as:
- Problems related to drug and alcohol use
- Suicide or attempted suicide
- Legal or financial problems
- Poor social relations
- Poor work or school performance
When to See a Doctor?
If you or someone around you is experiencing a manic or depressive episode, and you have thoughts of attempting suicide, see a doctor or mental health professional immediately.