Bipolar DisorderMary Lou Guenther

The Mood Swings

• Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of depression and mania

• Usually, victims experience much more of the depression rather than manic highs

• Over 8 million Americans are affected by this mental illness

Mania

• State of elevated or irritable mood

• Literally translated to “madness, frenzy”

• Two different sides: hypomania and full blown mania which can involve hallucinations and delusions

Characteristics of Mania

• Rapid speech

• Racing thoughts

• Decreased need for sleep

• Euphoria

• Impulsiveness

• Hypersexuality

• Racing thoughts

Characteristics Cont…

• Restlessness

• Distractibility

• Tendency to make grand and unattainable plans

• Poor judgment

• Reckless behaviors (alcohol, drugs, spending sprees, etc.)

Euphoria

• Medically recognized as a mental or emotional state of well being

• Euphoria is an affect; It is exaggerated and not usually achieved during the normal course of human experience

Risks

• When in a manic episode people will take risks which are uncharacteristic and rash:

-- running up credit card debt

-- gambling

-- casual sex with strangers

-- talking too much to strangers

-- impulsive life-altering decisions

Characteristics of Depression• Extremely

sad• Hopeless• Thoughts of

suicide• Loss of

interest in activities that were once enjoyable

• Restless or irritable

• Change in eating, sleeping, or other habits

Characteristics cont…• Alterations

in sleep patterns

• Feeling worried or empty

• Feeling tired

• Have problems concentrating, remembering, and making decisions

Thoughts of suicide

• Life is not worth living

• Making plans – giving away valuables, saying goodbye

• “If you are actively suicidal, in crisis, call 911 immediately. Your life is worth saving and you are here for a reason. You are a precious, wonderful, and beautiful human being. It is ok that you may not know that now. It is none the less true.” – Mental Health Today

Worthlessness

• Feelings of self loathing and unimportance

• Leads to suicidal thoughts and excessively low self esteem

Facts about Bipolar Disorder

• Effects 1-3% of the population

• If untreated, the suicide rate is at 20%

• In every generation since WWII there has been a higher incidence and earlier onset of bipolar depression

• Men, women, and all ethnicities are equally likely to get bipolar disorder

Famous People with Bipolar Disorder

• Jim Carrey

• Robert Downey Jr.

• Ben Stiller

• Robin Williams

• Beethoven

• Van Gogh

• Tim Burton

• JimiHenrix

Famous People cont..

• Sylvia Plath

• Winston Churchill

• Theodore Roosevelt

• Edgar Allen Poe

• Mark Twain

• Abraham Lincoln

Results

Thoughts of death, suicide

Unwanted consequences for rash decisions

Substance abuse

Higher risks for heart disease, migraines, obesity, and anxiety disorders

Treatment• Psychotherapy, aka

talk therapy

• Talk therapy:

- can help you learn about why you have the disorder

- Identify triggers

- Set goals

Treatment cont…

• Medications are given specifically given to each patient

• Usually anti-depressants

• Paired with therapy, medications can prevent negative side effects of bipolar disorder

Lifestyle Changes

• Get regular sleep

• Eat regular meals

• Exercise regularly

• Stay with your treatment

Light at the end of the tunnel

• http://www.facingbipolar.com/bipolar-mania.aspx

• http://www.medicinenet.com/bipolar_disorder/page2.htm

• http://www.mental-health-today.com/bp/famous_people.htm