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Bipolar disorder was once known as manic-depressive disorder or manic depression and is a severe mental health condition. It causes extreme shifts in mood, thinking patterns, energy levels, and behavior. From the highs of mania to the lows of the depressive state, the condition can show up in extremes. It is not like the normal mood swings that most of us tend to have. The extremes of lows and highs can last for days, weeks, and even months. And this can interfere with your study or job, relationships, and the ability to function daily.

This mood disorder can be lifelong, but one can control the symptoms by getting the right cure. The condition can often worsen when treatment is not given to the patients. This is the reason why many people who do not get the required help may keep facing problems. If someone feels they or their loved ones are going through such a problem, they should get a diagnosis as soon as possible. It can benefit them greatly to take steps to manage the symptoms and help them lead a better life.

Major Causes

The exact causes of the occurrence of this severe mental health problem are not known to scientists, but some theories suggest that there is a strong genetic component in the development of the condition.

It is also considered to be one of the most heritable psychiatric conditions. It has been found that more than two-thirds of the people diagnosed with the condition also have a biological relative facing the issue. Not to say that anyone having a biological relative with the condition will definitely develop it, but considering other things, it has been found that the genetic factor is to be noted at the time of the diagnosis.

The other factors that may contribute to someone having the condition are:

• Changes in the brain: It has been found that there are subtle differences in the average size or the activation of some brain structures in people who are suffering from the illness. But, it must be noted that brain scans cannot diagnose the condition.
• Environmental factors: If a person goes through a highly stressful or traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one, severe illness, financial problems, or divorce, then the condition may be triggered by a manic or depressive episode.

Bipolar 1 vs 2

People with Bipolar 1 can have the signs of both mania and depression, but the episodes of depression are not necessarily present for a diagnosis to be made. Mostly, they have experienced one or more major episodes of mania to the level that one can be hospitalized. The episodes must last more than seven days for a person to be diagnosed with the first variant of the condition. In the case of the presence of depressive phases, it has been noted that this state usually lasts for about two weeks.

In the case of Bipolar 2, the occurrence of a full-blown episode is not present. In fact, people mostly experience hypomanic and depressive states. The hypomanic state is less impairing than the manic phase, but overall the second variant can be more debilitating because of the chronic depression that is set in during the mental health illness.

Is it Different From Borderline Personality Disorder?

Although BPD and bipolar disorder characteristics look similar, these two are very distinct conditions that should not be confused during the diagnosis.

In BPD, the person experiences moment-to-moment abrupt patterns of mood swings and behavior changes. They may also suffer from a distorted self-image. The symptoms are usually triggered by interpersonal conflicts and can also lead to non-suicidal self-harming episodes.

On the other hand, the signs of this condition can be triggered due to stress, medications, substance use, or sleep changes. It is also different from BPD in the sense that the episodes of mania/hypomania and depression last longer than the sudden burst of mood swings common in BPD.

What Does a Manic Depressive Episode Look Like?

The range of extremes in these episodes is evidently quite stark for others as well to notice a major shift in your mood and behavior.

During this episode, there are periods of abnormally irritable or elevated mood, including extreme changes in energy, thoughts, emotions, activity levels, and talkativeness. These behavior patterns are noticeable by others as these aspects are a change from the usual self of a person.

People may also indulge in self-harming activities during the manic stage. All this can cause social, physical, and financial harm. In some cases, psychotic symptoms may also be developed, such as the occurrence of hallucinations and delusions. These can sometimes make the diagnosis difficult as those are also present in other mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

On the other hand, the depressive state leads to a loss of interest in activities leading to the occurrence of the low phase in general. People can face conditions such as tiredness, changes in appetite, and a general feeling of hopelessness and worthlessness. There may also be an increased need for sleep which is not present in the manic stages of the condition, where one feels so energized that they don't need much sleep.

The primary symptoms that occur during the two extreme phases of the condition are discussed below. People may experience the following signs in a manic phase:

• Severe and sudden changes in mood
• Excessive happiness and excitement
• Rapid speech
• Racing thoughts
• Restlessness
• Less need for sleep
• Increased energy and impulsivity
• Making big and attainable plans
• Feeling as if you are unusually important or powerful
• Psychosis with delusions or hallucinations

In the case of the depressive stage, people may experience the following:

• Low energy and fatigue
• Overwhelming sadness
• Feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness
• Lack of motivation
• Uncontrollable crying
• Difficulty in concentrating and making decisions
• Loss of enjoyment in the things that once made you happy
• Insomnia
• Increased need for sleep
• Change in appetite and weight loss or gain
• Thoughts of death or suicide

How to Recover From Your Symptoms

The most important thing to consider is that the treatment can be a lifelong commitment as the condition is lifelong. But, that should not discourage you, as starting the treatment is very crucial for you and your health care provider to reach a comprehensive plan that works best for you. Ideally, an effective plan for managing the condition can include:

• Medications
• Psychotherapy (talk therapy)
• Lifestyle changes such as yoga, meditation, and exercise.
• Self-management through education and awareness leads to early identification of the symptoms.
• Other therapies can be given in cases where the medications are not working and immediate intervention is needed. These include electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), ketamine treatment, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

Once a comprehensive plan of action to manage and treat the condition is reached, treatment should continue to keep the condition in check. You will need to be committed to the plan to be effective.

Benefits of Talking to a Counsellor

Talk therapy or psychotherapy is a crucial element of the remedial plans for patients with many mental health ailments. There are a variety of techniques that can be used in order to identify and change the patterns that make your symptoms severe. The most commonly used techniques used by therapists to treat the condition are:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): The most common psychotherapy intervention, CBT is used to treat many mental health conditions. It follows a structured and goal-oriented approach wherein the counselor helps you take a closer look at your thoughts and emotions to understand how they affect your behavior. Once that identification is made, your therapist helps unlearn negative thought patterns and behaviors before learning the new, improved patterns of thought and behavior.
• Psychoeducation: Through this process, the therapists teach people all about the mental health condition they are facing. As this is a serious condition that needs a lot of understanding in terms of the symptoms and treatment options, it is important for a counselor to teach the patient and their family members how to manage the condition and what they can expect in the healing journey.
• Family-Focused Therapy: This is specifically given to children and adults with the disease and their caregivers. In this, the family members join the therapy sessions where they are given communication improvement and problem-solving training. Psychoeducation is basically taken to a higher level during this technique.
• Interpersonal And Social Rhythm Therapy: This therapy is basically designed to improve your moods by creating a deeper understanding of the workings of your biological and social rhythms. It is mostly given to people with mood disorders and is also important in counseling. There is an emphasis on medication adherence, managing stressful life events, and reducing social rhythms (day-to-day differences in behavior). Overall, IPSRT is focused on teaching you skills to protect against the development of manic and depressive episodes in the future.

Find Help From a Licensed Therapist Who’s Right For You

This condition needs long-term treatment plans. Hence, it is important that the health care provider you decide for yourself is a trained and licensed one. There may also be a possibility that you may not like the plan of action of a specific expert and may want to change the doctor.

Whatever the case, with DocVita, you can go ahead with any option you feel is right for you. If you are experiencing the tell-tale signs of the condition, it becomes all the more important to seek early intervention to get the correct plan.

Schedule a Virtual Appointment with a Counsellor Today

If you or any of your loved ones seem to be showing signs of this mental health issue, schedule an appointment with a mental health professional to take an online session.

We give you the best guidance on the platform on which mental health care expert to choose by asking specific and simple questions about your condition. This way, you can be sure that the correct remedial plan is available. With this system in place, you don't need to feel the anxiety of going through the list of many doctors. The design suggests the best specialists to treat your condition. And then, you can go ahead with the one by booking an appointment from the available slots, according to your convenience.

Once you have made the payment, one of our Customer Care Executives will send an instant message to you. We provide you with the online meeting link and a reminder of your scheduled appointment so that it becomes easy for you to show up on time and seek the necessary cure and guidance to take care of your mental health concerns.