About bipolar disorder
BIPOLAR disorders, also known as manic-depressive illnesses, are spectrum disorders categorised as mood disorders as they cause unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
The National Institute of Mental Health, the largest scientific organisation in the world dedicated to transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses, reports that there are four basic types of bipolar disorder, and all of them involve clear changes in mood, energy, and activity levels.
These moods range from periods of extremely “up”, elated, and energised behaviour (known as manic episodes) to very sad, “down”, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes). Less severe manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.
According to psychiatrist Dr Geoffrey Walcott, there is no specific cause; however, there is a strong genetic component as well as psychosocial and social factors that may contribute to the condition.
Dr Walcott said the symptoms are a constellation of depression and mania.
“Mania is an elevated or irritable mood state accompanied by impulsiveness, decreased need for sleep, high energy and poor judgement. Patients also experience increased sex drive and increased goal-directed activity,” the psychiatrist said.
Dr Walcott said that there are several myths that people who are moody or temperamental may be bipolar; however, he explained that bipolar patients in most cases have a prolonged persistent mood state for an extended period of time, with most cycles lasting six to eight weeks.
“So persons may become easily irritable but the core mood state, that is, depression or mania, tends to persist for up to eight weeks,” he said.
Where treatment is concerned, Dr Walcott said the treatment regimen is biological, psychological and social, meaning medications such as mood stabilisers and anti-psychotics may be administered, as well as psychological supportive psychotherapy, psychoeducation, or in a few cases cognitive behavioural therapy.
He added that insight development and social support, fostering, monitoring and interaction with family, community or work colleagues are critical, along with mood stabilisers and anti-psychotic medication.
As for complications, Dr Walcott said these usually occur in the patients’ social and vocational areas of functioning, such as divorce, job loss or legal and financial problems.
— Kimberley Hibbert
