What IS Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a condition that reflects one or more incidents involving heightened mood changed or mania. The manic episodes experienced with individuals experiencing bipolar disorder symptoms usually experience a form of depression in addition to the manic episodes. Oftentimes, bipolar disorder will drastically affect one’s own thoughts and behavior usually caused by neurological or chemical imbalances in the brain.
These episodes of bipolar disorder normally shift between highs and lows, or poles, which are the “ups” and “downs” of bipolar disorder episodes.
There are three basic types of bipolar disorder including bipolar I, bipolar II, bipolar NOS, rapid cycling and cyclothymia in addition to other types of related disorders.
During these periods involving bipolar disorder symptoms, there is normally a larger risk of suicide in addition to depression.
The effects of bipolar disorder are normally controlled through the usage of several bipolar disorder medications which are considered as anti-manic or psychiatric drugs.
When an individual is affected by bipolar disorder, their symptoms may, again, include large bouts with depression and mania, unless, of course, it is a lesser extremity of mania which is commonly referred to as hypomania.
If an individual is experiencing signs of bipolar disorder, they may appear depressed oftentimes, not wanting to get out of bed, crying, sleeping more, giving up on most things vital in life.
When bipolar disorder is affecting the individual, the aforementioned bipolar disorder symptoms may be followed by episodes of mania where the individual may deem themselves as invincible or containing unlimited sources of energy or sexual desires, even seeing things which are not there during episodes involving bipolar disorder.
Normally when an individual fluctuates between extremities of mania and depression it is considered to be bipolar I.
On the other hand, when an individual fluctuates between depression and hypomania, whereas the individual does not appear or believe themselves to be extremely energetic or “invincible”, this lower form or bipolar disorder is considered as bipolar II.
With bipolar II, this is not to say the individual does not suddenly have lots of faith in themselves or suddenly find the ability to focus and ignore issues which are normally destructive during bouts with depression. But, the main thing is the extremities of the manic conditions where the individual is not extremely reckless or overwhelmingly energetic in their heightened manic state.
If the bipolar disorder symptoms are experienced in a seemingly cyclical manner being that of four or more episodes in a year, this may be a form of rapid cycling bipolar disorder. In addition, many cases of bipolar disorder also involve both depression and mania at the same time which is often referred to as a mix form of bipolar disorder.
There are many forms of treatment for bipolar disorder which can be found on the website involving biochemical, environmental and genetic factors which all may play a major role in the development of bipolar disorder symptoms.