THE TWO POLES OF MOOD : BIPOLAR DISORDER

Mood is an emotional state. It is a temporary state of mind or feeling, which is experienced internally and that influences a person’s behavior and perceptions of the world. A person’s mood can be normal, elevated or depressed. In general a healthy person will feel a wide range of moods and will have full control over them.

A longer period of disturbance in moods where the person may feel a loss of control on their mood and where they feel great distress is, a Mood Disorder.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, is a condition that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. People who have bipolar disorder can have periods of feeling very sad and worthless. In between these periods, they usually feel normal. These highs and the lows can be considered two “poles” of mood, which is why it’s called “bipolar” disorder. People with bipolar disorder ma have trouble managing everyday life tasks or maintaining relationships.

The high mood is called as Mania or Hypomania which is less severe and the low mood is the Depressive episode.

SYMPTOMS Mania or Hypomania symptoms include:

Depression symptoms include:

Bipolar is common among males and females equally. Diagnosing children with the disorder can take a long time as many symptoms could overlap with other disorders like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Adolescents and adults show more clear symptoms. However, all age groups can be affected. CAUSES Bipolar disorder may not have a single cause. It could have multiple causes that interrelate with each other.

COMORBIDITIES Individuals with major mood disorder are at a risk to have other additional disorders as well. Some common ones are

TREATMENT Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness and does not have a complete cure. The episodes of mania and depression can continue to come back. In between the episodes there could be long periods of normalcy either or some people may experience persistent symptoms. Treatment options can help manage these symptoms better. It helps to get greater control on the mood swings and other symptoms. The most effective treatment plan is a combination of medication and psychotherapy (counselling) can help to cope with the illness and function better in different areas.

Very often patients and relatives of people with the disorder choose to avoid or delay treatment due to the social stigma. This can affect their functioning, emotionally and behaviorally. This can affect the entire family as well as it can be a constant cause of friction. It is important to realize that the earlier one acknowledges the symptoms and come forwards for treatment, the better the prognosis and less distress for the patient as well as the entire family. Understand that mental illness are related to physical changes in the brain. So drop all inhibitions and seek help.