Bipolar Disorder

Any information or advice you happen to see on this site is not professional. Only a professional should make the diagnosis concerning any mental health issue. Always follow professional advice.

Bipolar is a term meaning Manic Depressive. This illness is due to a chemical deficiency in the brain causing neurotransmitters to work less efficienctly than normal. Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder may appear by age 5 and manifest themselves more in the elderly. This disease does not strike females and males unequally. Several studies have been conducted with quite similar responses. There is a strong genetic connection between Bipolar patients and their predecessors. Fifty per cent of all Bipolar patients have at least one parent with a mood disorder.

First, you must understand that bipolars experience mood swings that are randomly onset. The moods range from fantastic highs to abysmal lows with only a brief stop at normality. During the manic phase some of the symptoms could be: an elevated, irritable, or hostile mood, often with rapid shifts among moods. Inflated self-esteem, which can range from unwarranted self-confidence to true grandiosity. Delusion - believing he or she is infallible - and hallucinations - believing he or she possesses special powers. Decreased need for sleep, without experiencing fatigue. Distractability, impulsive or reckless behavior, poor judgement. Loud rapid speech. Flight of ideas - moving quickly from one thought to the next.

The symptoms of the depressed state are these: Depressed mood (prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells) most of the day, nearly every day (note: in children and adolescents, mood can be irritable.) Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day. Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or a decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day. Psychomotor agitation (restlessness) or psychomotor retardation (slowed down) nearly every day, that is noticeable to others. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt ( which may be delusional), nearly every day (not merely guilt about being sick). Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day. Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

This list of symptoms alone should have you thinking about seeking professional assistance. If you feel you exhibit the symptoms, or some of them for two consecutive weeks, you may be bipolar. I am a diagnosed bipolar patient and that is why I created this web site. I want others that suffer from a mental disorder to find aid.

Here is a new book written by George Harrar about Bipolar Disorder. It is titled, "First Tiger." It gives a different view of living with the disease without the typical anecdotes or medical writeups. This book may be found through Amazon.com. So, give it a look.