BIPOLAR DISORDER

Extreme Mood swings from episodes of Mania to episodes of Depression. Most of the time the first episode is at Depressed Phase so patient may be diagnosed with Major Depression. 15% of bipolar patients were Risk for suicide. Young men early course of their illness are the highest risk for suicide, especially those with suicide attempts, alcohol abuse, as wells as recently discharged at the hospital. A person with bipolar disorder cycles between DEPRESSION AND NORMAL BEHAVIORS (bipolar depressed) or MANIA BEHAVIOR AND NORMAL BEHAVIOR (bipolar mania) Equal to Man and Woman but more common in highly Educated people because some people with bi polar illness deny their mania. Onset and Clinical Course: Age: Mean age is early 20s, others at their adolescence, some when they are older than 50. Debate exist about whether some children diagnosed with ADHD actually have a very early onset if bipolar disorder. Manic Episodes typically begin suddenly with rapid escalation of symptoms over a few days and last from few weeks to several months. Sign and Symptoms of DEPRESSED PHASE: Clients do not understand their illness affects others, They might stop taking medication because they may like the euphoria and feel burdened by it side effects, blood test and physicians visit need to maintain treatment. Types of Bipolar 1. Bipolar I- Manic Episodes with at least 1 depressive episodes. 2. Bipolar II- Recurrent Depressive episodes with at least hypomania episodes Mood behaviour and thought are same with people diagnosed with major depression. 3. Bipolar Mixed- Cycles alternate between Period of Mania, normal mood, Depression, Normal mood Mania and So forth.

Signs and Symptoms of DEPRESSED PHASE: 1 week of unusual and instantly heightened grandiose, agitated with 3 or more symptoms of the following: Exaggerated self-esteem Pressured speech Flight of Ideas Reduced ability to filter extraneous stimuli Distractibility Increase activity with high energy Multiple grandiose involving poor judgement and sever consequences

Treatment: Lithium (Anti-Manic Drug) Action is Unknown but effects on ions as well as glucose metabolism. Works to destroy catecholamine. Anticonvulsant- helpful in stabilizing moods of people. It raises the brains threshold for dealing stimulations. This prevents people to get bombarded with external and internal stimuli. (Carbapentin [Tagretol], Valporic Acid [Depakote], Gabapentin [Neurotin], Lamotrigrine [Lamictal], Topiramate [Topamax], Clonazepam [Iclonopin] Psychotherapy