Bipolar Disorder
Maria Olson
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is also known as maniac depression, is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior.
Symptoms
- Unfinished tasks
- Manic episodes and attacks
- Depressive episodes
- Changes in typical behavior
- Disrupted sleep behavior
- social problems
- Thoughts of self harm
Percentages
About 3% of people in the United States have bipolar disorder at some point in their life. Lower rates of around 1% are found in other countries. The most common age at which symptoms begin is 25. Rates appear to be similar in males as females.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of bipolar disorder takes several factors into account and considers the self-reported experiences of the symptomatic individual, behavior abnormalities reported by family members, friends or co-workers, and observable signs of illness as assessed by a psychiatrist, nurse, social worker, clinical psychologist or other health professional. Assessment is usually done on an outpatient basis; admission to an inpatient facility is considered if there is a risk to oneself or others. Although there are no biological tests that are diagnostic of bipolar disorder, tests may be carried out to exclude medical illnesses with clinical presentations similar to that of bipolar disorder such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, metabolic disturbance, a chronic disease, or an infection such as HIV or syphilis. An EEG may be used to exclude a seizure disorder such as epilepsy, and a CT scan of the head may be used to exclude brain lesions.
People with Bipolar Disorder
- Chris Brown
- Carrie Fisher
- Mel Gibson
- Ernest Hemingway
- Mary Lambert
- Vivien Leigh
- Demi Lovato
- Marilyn Monroe
- Robin Williams
- Amy Winehouse
Bipolar Disorder Symptoms & Treatments : How to Diagnose Bipolar Disease