Bipolar Disorder

Overview

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by rapid change in mood. It includes both manic episode and depressive episode. Bipolar disorder patients can be divided into two types, one is predominantly in manic mood while the other is predominantly in depressive mood.

Signs and Symptoms

Feeling unusually high and optimistic or extremely irritable, Grandiosity, Sleeping very little but feeling very energetic, Rapid speech, Racing thoughts, Highly distractible, Impaired judgment and impulsiveness, Acting recklessly without thinking about the consequences, Delusions and hallucinations, Feeling hopeless, Irritability, Inability to experience pleasure, Fatigue or loss of energy, Physical and mental sluggishness

Common Causes

Genetic, Biological traits, Brain-chemical imbalances, Hormonal problems,Environmental factors

Risk Factors

Age around 25, Family history of bipolar disorder, Drug Abuse, Bereavement, Head injury

Investigation Techniques

Full blood count ,Urine toxicology,MRI,CT Scan,Liver function test, Electroencephalogram

Treatment and Prevention

Mood stabilizers, Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, Psychosocial interventions,Electroconvulsive therapy

Psychological Issues

Depression, Hallucination, Delusion