Bipolar

Going back and forth between periods of good or very irritable moods and depression very quick is a condition known as bipolar disorder. The specific cause of this disorder is unknown, but it most frequently occurs in relatives of people with bipolar disorder. Both women and men are equally affected and the ages it starts are between 15-25. There are three types of bipolar disorder which are type I, type II, and cyclothymia. Aside from the quick mood swings and depression, other symptoms of bipolar disorder may include increased energy, lack of self control, little need for sleep, or thoughts of suicide. Those are not the only symptoms, but just a few of the many that characterize this disorder. In order to diagnose bipolar disorder, a doctor may ask about family history, run laboratory tests, or watch the behavior of the patient. Mood stabilizers, drugs commonly used, are the first treatment used. Other drugs that can be used are anti-psychotic, anti-anxiety, antiseziure, or antidepressant medications. If the patient does not respond to medication there are other options like Transcranial  magnetic stimulations (TMS) and Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The treatment used for the patient with bipolar disorder is to prevent suicide, avoid hospital stay and moving from one phase to another, make episodes less frequent and severe, and help the patient function as well as possible. Living with this disorder must not be easy especially with the episodes of mania and depression one suffers. A normal life without drugs is out of the question for someone with bipolar disorder because of the danger some put their life in. Also there not being a clear cause for this disorder makes it even a little more scarier, because there can be many factors that trigger this disorder.