Understanding Bipolar

How will I know if I’m bipolar? You’ll know by your moods and behaviors. Bipolar Disorder used to be called manic depression. Now it’s called Bipolar I and Bipolar II. When you have a Bipolar I Disorder you will have manic episodes where you have lots of energy, talk fast, have racing thoughts, sleep little, and behave recklessly regarding spending, decision-making or sexual activity. This can create lots of problems later. With Bipolar II you will experience hypomania. This is a milder form than mania and is generally brief. All bipolars experience depression, although with Bipolar II is more frequent and lengthy. Read more

Bipolar Type 2 And Type 1 - What Is The Difference?

Have you heard of the term mood swings? What about manic depression? If you have, then it wouldn’t be difficult to explain what bipolar disorder means. All these terms mean the same thing. This is a serious mental illness and is categorized as bipolar type 1 and bipolar type 2.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by an abrupt change of moods from an energetic mania (and hypomania) to the lowest depressive state. Both bipolar disorder categories share the same characteristics in mood swing levels. However, the drawing line between the bipolar type 1 and the bipolar type 2 is on the varied episode levels of each mood swing. Read more

Bipolar Disorder Facts

As a psychiatric condition and incurable, Bipolar Disorder is often misunderstood and inappropriately associated with insanity and other psychotic behaviors. The social stigma of bipolar disorder rises from the fact the onset of it begins in early adulthood and affects the individual throughout their life. Coupled with relatively high rates of suicide (or attempted) during the depressive phase mistakenly leaves the perception of danger, which further isolates the individual. Read more

Bipolar Disorder Tips for Friends and Family

TIPS FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS

Let’s start out with a story about cabbage. (A conversation between my mom and myself)

Mom: Why don’t you put some cabbage on your salad?

Julie: I want to have cabbage on my salad but it is just too hard to do it. Read more

5 Tips to Coping With Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is the medical name for manic-depressive illness and doesn’t just effect sufferers but can have a serious effect on family members and friends. Early diagnosis can be a big factor in the effective combating or this serious mental illness and without diagnosis it can become much more serious possibly leading to suicide. Bipolar disorder effects over 2 million American adults every year so it is by no means a rare disorder and doctors and psychiatrists alike are on hand to help you or your family member or friend through it. If you think someone you know is suffering from bipolar disorder the best thing you can do for them is to take them to see their doctor. Read more

Managing Long Term Care For Bipolar Disorder

Need for Long term care management of bipolar disorder:
• Most bipolar disorders require long term course management for the effective treatment.
 
• Complete recovery of the individual Bipolar Disorder cannot be said to occur, if the initial symptoms subside for sometime under the effect of medication. There can be several episodes of relapse.

• In fact Bipolar disorder has one percent chance of lasting for a lifetime even after diagnosis and treatment. Read more

Balanced Between Mind And Body Is A Wonderful Place To Live

In my experience I have found that most of us sort of reside in either our minds or in our bodies. Both are very intriguing places to focus our energy and provide very different vantage points. The people that I know who are basically in their heads display the following qualities. They are amazing analyzers of information and want to look at a subject from many different perspectives/angles. It is of utmost importance to gather as much information about the subject as possible and weigh out, all the so called facts, in as many combinations as they can think of. These ‘head’ people are very quick with their verbal responses to situations and usually win arguments. They are more guarded and are difficult to get a genuine read on. These people do not tend to be very grounded and are likely to hurt themselves physically on a regular basis. Little things like stubbed toes and paper cuts mostly. Read more

Bi-Polar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a very complex disease to many people, including medical doctors, and rightly so. As with every other disease in allopathic medicine, there will never be a cure for bipolar disorder. You can’t solely treat this disorder from the physical, and especially with harmful, man-made pharmaceutical drugs. Plus, Western medical doctors admit that they don’t know the cause of this disorder. Read more

How To Find A Bipolar-Resistant Job And Bipolar-Proof It

When bipolar disorder hits at work, it all hits the fan. A public display of excess emotion or over-the-top behavior is usually seen as unacceptable. There goes your reputation as a good worker, several fair-weather friends, perhaps pay for the time you’re off work. And then when you’re ready to return, the boss sacks you. You have lost a job, and you might lose an entire career if word gets around your industry quickly. Read more

Dissociative Disorder is Often Diagnosed as Bipolar Disorder

The number of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder has risen dramatically. A study of mentally ill children in community hospitals, published recently in the Archives of General Psychiatry, found the proportion of children  diagnosed as bipolar shot up from less than 3 percent in 1990 to 15 percent in 2000 and this rate is still climbing. Read more

Next Page »