What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition characterized by significant mood swings, including emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). These shifts can affect energy, activity, sleep, judgment, behavior, and the ability to think clearly. Bipolar disorder is not just occasional mood swings but a long-term condition requiring effective management and treatment.
Types of Bipolar Disorder
There are several types of bipolar disorder, including Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Cyclothymic Disorder. Bipolar I involves manic episodes lasting at least seven days or severe manic symptoms requiring immediate hospital care, usually followed by depressive episodes. Bipolar II involves a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes but not the full-blown manic episodes found in Bipolar I. Cyclothymic Disorder involves periods of hypomanic symptoms and depressive symptoms lasting for at least two years.
How We Can Help
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis is typically made by a mental health professional through a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, mood charting, and discussion of symptoms. Treatment usually includes a combination of medication (such as mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants) and psychotherapy (including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, and family therapy). Lifestyle management, including regular routines, healthy sleep patterns, and stress reduction, is also critical.