Bipolar disorder is a common form of mania and depression. The main difference between depression and bipolar disorder are the periods of high mood swings that are associated with bipolar disorder. The mood swings can be very severe resulting in the individual losing touch with reality and going through periods of mania by engaging in self-destructive behaviors. Bipolar is no stranger to our society. It has been around since World War II. Research has the found the disorder to be genetic although ones environment and life experiences can also play a part in one developing such a disorder.

There are many famous people that have had symptoms of bipolar disorder. The most common names of famous people being Dickens, Newton and Beethoven. Research has shown the disease to affect its victims as early as childhood. Statistics show that when one parent has the disease, the child runs a risk 15-30% of inheriting the disorder. If both parents have the disorder, the risk is increased by 50-75%. The risk in twins is even higher at a staggering 70%. Children who have parents that suffer from drug abuse and mood disorders have also been found to develop early on-set of bipolar disorder. Most people are usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 35 and sometimes the disorder can be mistaken for ADHD, when diagnosed in children.

More specifically, there are two distinct extremes of bipolar disorder. One extreme is the depressive state and the other extreme is the manic depression state. The depressive state of bipolar disorder consists of symptoms such as:

• sad ,anxious or empty moods
• feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness
• loss of interest or pleasure in the activities that one usually enjoys, including sexual activity
• decreased energy
• problems concentrating, remembering and making decisions
• sleeping too much or too little
• loss in appetite or an increased appetite
• chronic pain not associated with an injury or illness
• thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts

The manic state of Bipolar Disorder consists of symptoms that reflect just the opposite of the depressive state. . The manic state of bipolar disorder consists of symptoms such as:

• increased energy, activity and restlessness
• overly good and/or euphoric mood
• excessive irritability
• racing thoughts including talking very fast and jumping from one topic to another
• easily distracted
• unreal belief in one abilities and powers
• poor judgment
• spending sprees
• increased sex drive
• substance abuse
• provocative, intrusive or aggressive denial that anything is incorrect

Luckily, treatment is available for those individuals that suffer from bipolar disorder. There are different types of treatments that consist of medication, supportive psychotherapy and ECT. The treatment of depression and manic stages of depression has two phases. The first phase is called the acute phase. This phase helps the individual improve in social and occupational impairment. The second phase is called the maintenance phase. In this phase, medications are administered over the long term to help prevent the symptoms from recurring in the individual.

The drug lithium has been widely used to treat bipolar disorder. It has proven to be very effective in helping to curb manic attacks and relieve the patient from recurring episodes. The drug is able to do this by ceasing accelerated thought processes and the hyperactive behavior that is associated with manic depression. The best thing about this particular drug is that it does not make the patient drowsy like prior medications used to treat the disorder. The drug also helps to prevent the depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder as well. However, there are precautions associated with lithium. Because it has a narrow therapeutic range, dosage must be administered very cautiously and the dosage needs to be adjusted a little at a time. For safety, the level never exceed 1.5 mEq/L. Other medications that can be used to treat bipolar disorder are tegretol, valporate, gabapentin, and lamotrigine as well as antidepressants such as wellbutrin, zoloft and lorazepam. The kind of treatment prescribed really depends on the type and phase of bipolar disorder that the patient has. Overall, lithium has been found to be the preferred treatment of choice across the board. Most recently, mood stabilizing drugs such as carbamazepine and valproate have been useful in some bipolar episodes. These are usually combined with lithium of the desired effect. Lastly, lamotigrine, a method usually used to prevent seizures, has proven to be effective to help stabilize the moods of bipolar disorder patients.

Currently, there are no definite medical tests for bipolar disorder as the symptoms change in nature constantly and the disorder can be very difficult to recognize. There are many present symptoms of other psychological disorders that can be mistaken for bipolar disorder. In order for a psychiatrist to accurately diagnose bipolar disorder he or she will need to diagnose the physical symptoms of the disease, diagnose the psychiatric symptoms of the disease, review the patient’s family history and finish by diagnosing the present symptoms of bipolar disorder. Once these phases have been completed in entirety a psychiatrist will be able to confidently diagnose and treat the patient that is suffering from bipolar disorder.