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    Bipolar disorder, or bipolar mood disorder, used to be called'manic depression' it is a psychiatric illness characterised by extreme mood swings. A person may feel euphoric and extremely energetic, only to drop into a period of paralysing depression, in a cycle of elation and sadness. The exact cause is unknown and a number of factors may be involved, although a genetic predisposition has been clearly established.

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    Bipolar disorder, or bipolar mood disorder, used to be called'manic depression' it is a psychiatric illness characterised by extreme mood swings. A person may feel euphoric and extremely energetic, only to drop into a period of paralysing depression, in a cycle of elation and sadness. The exact cause is unknown and a number of factors may be involved, although a genetic predisposition has been clearly established.

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    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    34 views2 pages

    Bipolar Disorder PDF

    Uploaded by

    kapczuk
    Bipolar disorder, or bipolar mood disorder, used to be called'manic depression' it is a psychiatric illness characterised by extreme mood swings. A person may feel euphoric and extremely energetic, only to drop into a period of paralysing depression, in a cycle of elation and sadness. The exact cause is unknown and a number of factors may be involved, although a genetic predisposition has been clearly established.

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    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    Image description. Better Health Channel logo End of image description.

    Bipolar disorder
    Bipolardisorder,orbipolarmooddisorder,usedtobecalledmanicdepression.Itisapsychiatric illnesscharacterisedbyextrememoodswings.Apersonmayfeeleuphoricandextremely energetic,onlytodropintoaperiodofparalysingdepression,inacycleofelationandsadness. Theexactcauseisunknownandanumberoffactorsmaybeinvolved,althoughagenetic predispositionhasbeenclearlyestablished. Itisestimatedthataroundonein50Australiansdevelopsthisillness,whichaffectsmenand womenequally.Mostofthoseaffectedareagedintheir20swhenfirstdiagnosed. Alternating bouts of mania and depression Bipolardisorderisatypeofpsychosis,whichmeansthepersonsperceptionofrealityisaltered. Theymayrealisethatothersconsidertheiractionsirrational,butfailtounderstanditthemselves. Typically,bipolardisorderinvolvesalternatingcyclesofmaniaanddepression-eachlastingdays, weeksorevenmonths.Somepeopleexperiencemorehighsthanlows;othersreportmorelows thanhighs.Theseverityofthemoodswingsandthesymptomswillalsovaryfrompersonto person. Mania Commonsymptomsinclude: Feelingextremelyeuphoricorenergetic. Goingwithoutsleep. Thinkingandspeakingquickly. Delusionsofimportance. Recklessbehaviour,suchasoverspending. Extremesexualbehaviour. Aggression. Irritability. Grandiose,unrealisticplans.

    Ima ge des crip

    Depression Commonsymptomsinclude: Withdrawalfrompeopleandactivities. Overpoweringfeelingsofsadnessandhopelessness. Lackofappetiteandweightloss. Feelinganxiousorguiltywithoutreason. Difficultyconcentrating. Suicidalthoughtsandbehaviour.

    A range of contributing factors Theunderlyingmechanismsofbipolardisorderarenotfullyunderstood,althoughastronggenetic predispositionhasbeenestablished.Onetheoryisthattheillnessmightbelinkedtoparticular brainchemicals(neurotransmitters)thathelpregulatemood,calledserotoninandnorepinephrine. Inapersonwithbipolardisorder,itisthoughtthatthesechemicalsareeasilythrownoutof balance. Acute episodes need treatment Whenpeopleexperienceanacuteepisodeofmaniaordepression,theyoftenrequireimmediate careandtreatment.Theseepisodescanoftenbepreventedbyregularmedicationlikelithium. Type of help available Treatmentdependsontheseverityofthecondition,butoptionsmayinclude:

    Bipolardisorder

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    Mood-stabilisingdrugs,suchaslithium. Anti-depressantsfordepression. Arangeofdrugsformania,suchassedativesortranquillisers. Counsellingandeducationtohelpthepersonunderstandandmanagetheircondition. Communitysupportprograms,whichproviderehabilitation,accommodationand employmentsupport. Self-helpgroupsforemotionalsupportandunderstanding.

    Where to get help Yourdoctor Psychiatrist Psychiatrichospital SANEHelpline.Tel.180018SANE(7263)

    Things to remember

    Bipolardisorderisapsychiatricillnesscharacterisedbyseveremoodswings. Theexactcauseisunknown,butcontributingfactorsmayincludegenetics,brainchemicals andstress. Treatmentincludesmedicationandcommunitysupport.

    This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

    SANEAustralia

    Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

    Bipolardisorder

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