What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar Disorder, also known as Manic-Depressive Illness, is a disorder of mood in which there are severe mood swings: a depressed mood alternates in cycles with an elated or irritable state called mania.

What are the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?

The symptoms of mania may include increased social, work or sexual activity; increased talking; rapid or racing thoughts; grandiosity; a decreased need for sleep; distractibility; and involvement in self-destructive activities like buying sprees, reckless driving or bad business deals.

Symptoms of depression may include poor appetite with weight loss; trouble sleeping; agitation; general slowing down; loss of interest in usual activities; lack of energy or fatigue; feelings worthless, self-reproach, excessive guilt; being unable to think or concentrate; or recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

In Bipolar Disorder, mania and depression alternate with normal moods in a pattern that varies from person to person but is usually consistent over time for each individual.

What causes Bipolar Disorder?

the exact cause is unknown. We know that Bipolar Disorder runs in families, and that a tendency to develop it is often inherited. Still, most people who have a family history of the disease do not develop it, so there must be more involved. It may be that a person must also have certain life experiences, or must have lived through certain stresses in order for the illness to develop. It is also well documented that there are chemical changes or imbalances in the brain during depression and mania. As a result, it is accurate to say that Bipolar Disorder is a chemical imbalance in the brain.

What happens to people who have Bipolar Disorder?

For most people, Bipolar Disorder is a chronic or lifelong illness, a lot like asthma or arthritis. Although it cannot be cured, it can be well controlled for most people. Without treatment the mood swings become more severe over time. Mood swings can occur as often as every few weeks or as rarely as every few years. With treatment, the episodes usually become less frequent, shorter, and milder. In some people, mood swings completely disappear. Between episodes, most people function as well as they did before they became ill, although about one out of every four people with this illness have symptoms even between episodes.

What is the treatment for Bipolar Disorder?

Treatment most often includes medicines, therapy, and skills training. Medicines used to treat this illness include lithium, antipsychotics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants (such as Valproate, Tegretol or others), and other less common alternatives.

What can I do to deal with my Bipolar Disorder?

• Maintain a regular daily schedule.
• Take medicines exactly as prescribed.
• Resume responsibilities gradually after an episode of mania or depression.
• Set realistic goals.
• Ask for help when you need it.
• Meet regularly with a therapist.
• Sleep enough. Go to sleep and wake up at about the same time every day.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Exercise regularly.
• The use of alcohol is a very personal matter that should be discussed with your therapist. If you do decide to drink alcohol, limit yourself to no more than one or two drinks a day.
• Avoid street drugs.
• Make and keep friends and a network of support.
• Take a course in stress management or assertiveness.
• Work hard in therapy. Accept that there may be setbacks.

What happens if the symptoms return after I get them under control?

During a well period, the patient and therapist and a friend or family member should make a plan for what to do if symptoms reappear. The plan should include what specific symptoms are warnings that immediate measures must be taken to prevent relapse. An agreement should be made to call the health care provider immediately when those specific symptoms occur, and to notify friends and family members who can help decrease stress and stimulation. Concrete ways to limit stress and stimulation and to increase structure should be planned during a well period so both can be put into action right away if signs of relapse occur.

Where can I get more information about Bipolar Disorder?

There are many good books about Bipolar Disorder:

David D. Burns Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. 1999.

Mary Ellen Copeland Living without Depression and Manic-Depression: A Workbook for Maintaining Mood Stability. 1994.

Colette Dowling You Mean I Don't Have to Feel This Way? 1993.

Patty Duke and Gloria Hochman A Brilliant Madness. 1998.

Jan Fawcett, Bernard Golden and Nancy Rosenfeld New Hope for People with Bipolar Disorder 2000.

Kay Redfield Jamison Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide. 1999.

Max Fink Electroshock: Restoring the Mind. 1999.

Frederick Goodwin, and Kay Redfield Jamison Manic-Depressive Illness. 1990.

Jack Gorman Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs. 1998.

Kay Redfield Jamison An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. 1997.

Kay Redfield Jamison Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament. 1996.

Donald F Klein and Paul H Wender Understanding Depression: A Complete Guide to Its Diagnosis and Treatment. 1994.

Francis M Mondimore Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families. 1999.

Francis M Mondimore Depression: the Mood Disease. 1993.

Papolos, Dimitris. F. and Papolos, J Overcoming Depression. 1997.

Dimitri Papolos. and Janice Papolos The Bipolar Child. 1999.

Andrew Solomon The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression. Scribner, 2001

William Styron Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness. 1992.

The following organizations can provide help, information and support:

National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association (NDMDA). A national support and information-giving group for people with Depression and Manic-Depressive Illness and for their family members and friends. There are local meetings throughout the New York metropolitan area and across the country. For information, call NDMDA at 1-800-82-NDMDA or you can reach them online at www.ndmda.org

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). An international support and information-giving organization for people with psychiatric illness and their family members. For information about NAMI membership and availability of local meetings, call 1-800-950-NAMI, or reach them online at www.nami.org