The Symptoms of Bipolar

There may be occasions when we feel happy for no apparent reason and want to sing and dance for joy. There are also times when all of us feel melancholic or sad. Mood swings are present in a lot of people but they do not happen everyday and not without reason. But in cases where people are ecstatic one moment then all of sudden fall into the depths of depression, then there is the possibility that they may be suffering from bipolar disease with bipolar symptoms present. There are false myths about bipolar disease and bipolar symptoms harbored by most people and that is why the truth about bipolar disorder must be known.

The Truth About Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is also popularly known as manic depression. As the name indicates, the symptoms of this disorder are characterized with periods of euphoria or mania alternating with periods of depression. These periods are not just fleeting phases. They last for hours, days and months. Moreover these radical mood changes also hamper the ability of the individual to lead a normal day to day life.

In the mania phase, the patient may feel a burst of energy, may paint, sing or dance or quit his job or shop like a madman. The mania phase is characterized by the patient feeling euphoric for no apparent reason.

The depression phase on the other hand can be characterized by symptoms of low or no energy. A person suffering from this phase may be completely depressed about everything, wallow in self pity and be very lethargic for no reason.

These days bipolar disorder is quite a common affliction affecting almost 3% of the adult population in the US. Researches are going on to ascertain its true causes though its been linked to genetics and family history.

Its often observed that the onset of bipolar disorder takes place in the late teenage or early adult years. Hence, initially most people mistake the bipolar symptoms in teens as a typical adolescent behavior and dont pay much attention which makes the symptoms worse. Hence, early prognosis of this disease can enable the patient to lead a healthy life.

People suffering from bipolar disease and the bipolar symptoms were often referred to as "mad" in the early days. Another perception was that they were possessed by evil spirits. However, many of these myths have been shattered with the advancement of technology.

Here are some old myths about bipolar disorder which were prevalent till recently:

Patients with bipolar disorder can no longer have a good life: This myth is absolutely false since people over the world afflicted with bipolar disorder can lead normal lives and have children and a great family. All that is required is a good support system and a good coping ability to manage the symptoms when they occur.

There is always an alternation between mania and depression for patients with bipolar disorder " Both these phases occur with bipolar disorder but there tends to be more of an occurrence of depression rather than mania. Mania is so mild most of the time that its hardly noticeable. There are also several instances where patients may not experience any symptoms for some time.

Medicines and therapy can be used to treat bipolar disease and bipolar symptoms. But even with these conventional cures, the unconditional love and support of loved ones is very important in ensuring a normal life for someone suffering from the disease.