BIPOLAR DISORDER
What is it
Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression. There is type 1 which is more sever and type 2 which isn't as bad. It is a brain disorder that causes trouble problem solving and making good decisions in adults it causes the brains cortex to become smaller and function less or slower then usual. About 5.7 million Americans suffer from bipolar, 4 out of 5 people with bipolar commit suicide
Signs and Symptoms
There are many signs to bipolar but some of the most common one are, a long period of time feeling overjoyed or sad and hopeless, lack of energy or high energy level, poor judgements, reckless behavior,racing speech and thoughts, lack in sense of self importance and thinking of death and attempting suicide.
Causes
Scientists have been studying the causes of bipolar and many agree that there isn't a single causes but many factors put together most likely cause bipolar. Many scientists think that certain biological genes cause bipolar but just because a realitive had bipolar doesn't mean you will if you have an identialcal twin with bipolar that doesn't mean you will get it
Treatments
There are no medications that will cure bipolar but there are things that will calm the symptoms for a while keeping regular sleep patterns will help and certain medications will help control the mood swings and drops in mood. Lithium is the only medication given to people with bipolar that the FDA has approved mood stabilizer it has a 40-50% success rate people with also be given anti-depressants to help with the depression episodes.
How you are diagnosed
Bipolar is defined if you have more then one manic or mixed episode that lasts more then 2 days or a depressive episode that lasts up to 2 weeks also if people have more then 4 episodes in a year. Doctors will also ask if any close family members suffer from bipolar.
Bipolar is often mistaken for depression so some people are not getting the right medication
Famous people with bipolar
Vincent Van Gogh, Beethoven, Theodore Roosevelt, Mel Gibson, Demi Lovato
Works Cited
"Bipolar Disorder." Bipolar Disorder. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
"Bipolar Disorder." NIMH RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
DBSA, n.d. Web.