We have all, at one point, heard Katy Perry's song "Hot N Cold", where she talks about a past love, which evidently did not work out due to his drastic change in moods and thoughts. The term bipolar is now used when referring to someone who simply cannot make up their mind. Bipolar disorder is a form of depression and it entails much more than just moods and thoughts and it affects a person's entire life, not just one aspect of it. Bipolar disorder is one of those special psychological disorders which affects both genders equally and which also affects every race alike. About 5.7 million people in the US currently suffer from such disorder. Bipolar disorder is characterized by it's two completely separate poles, mania and depression. An individual suffering from bipolar disorder may seem perfectly happy and extremely creative and confident for a period of time and then become severely depressed and full of extreme sadness for another period.
When thinking of the manic episodes of Bipolar Disorder we may think that the person is super happy and jumping off the walls with joy, but that is not at all the entire truth. Mania is characterized by restless activity, excitement, laughter, self-confidence, rambling speech, and loss of inhibitions. The definition of mania shows just how dangerous manic episodes are. The outward portrayal of mania may cause people to lose their jobs and may hurt their relationships with others. When an individual talks about their manic episodes they refer to them as "a mind running wild". They have many different thoughts and ideas running through their head and they need to focus on what they want to say in order to get a particular point across. It must be difficult to concentrate when you have constant thoughts fighting for your attention. Another dangerous characteristic of Bipolar Disorder is reckless behavior. There are various levels of severity. One side of the spectrum refers to either violent actions or extremely risky activities, such as drunk driving, bungee jumping, or sky diving. The other side of the spectrum includes activities such as going on shopping sprees and spending money that you don't have. These people claim they know the negative consequences to their actions, but their minds keep telling them they need this certain stimulus or item.
The video above explains the importance in getting the proper medications and also talks about forming a close connection with psychiatrists, who can regulate the episodes brought on by an individuals bipolar disorder. There are treatments available, but when dealing with bipolar disorder a medical professional has to decide which medication is right for each patient. It is very important to identify which episode these individuals are suffering at the moment. Manic episodes require different types of medication as compared to depressive episodes. Lithium and certain anticonvulsant medications are also very common when treating bipolar disorder. Constant sleeping schedules have also been known to help with bipolar symptoms.
Bipolar disorder is so much more than not being able to decide on something. There is so much emotional pain and sometimes even physical pain accompanying bipolar disorder. It affects the individual themselves and everyone around them. It is a dangerous disorder which needs to be closely monitored by a specialist. Individuals who believe they are suffering from bipolar disorder should seek help and figure out what is wrong and what they need to do to alleviate some of the pain. There are also many physiological changes that occur when suffering from bipolar disorder, such as the elevation of anxiety, which triggers the "fight or flight" response, which prepares the body physically to either run from a situation or fight. The elongated presence of such a response is not healthy for our bodies and affects us in many ways. This is one of the many reasons why people should seek help and should learn what works to control them personally.
Bipolar Disorder is a terrible disorder that plays with one’s mind. The thought of having thoughts that are not appropriate must be devastating. Having to deal with this type of disorder must be very difficult to adapt and live a normal life. The video you showed was very interesting, knowing that people under this disorder have to live under medication in order to live a normal life. Also it must be hard due to special care needed when diagnosed with this disorder.
ReplyDeleteBipolar disease can really affect someone’s life. Having to have different emotional changes or thoughts can conflict with their decisions or their lifestyle. I’ve never heard of this term until I was in high school. One of my classmates was diagnosed with this disorder and I really didn’t understand it until one day in class. One morning, my classmate and I were briefly talking about our weekend. Her mood at that time was great, but all of a sudden she became mad and sad. I later realized that her mood suddenly changed. A few days later she then told all of our classmates that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and if we could comprehend her. From that day on, I finally was able to learn how it can really affect someone’s life.
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