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bipolar I disorder

There are different kinds of bipolar disorder. You may not fit exactly into any one kind. But your doctor will be able to tell what form of bipolar disorder you have.

People with bipolar I disorder have episodes of extremely high moods called mania and sometimes extremely low moods called depression.

You may also have high and low moods at the same time. This is called mixed states or mixed mania. Some people with bipolar I disorder may see or hear things that are not there.

People with bipolar II disorder may have severe periods of depression but have a milder form of mania. This is called hypomania.

What Causes Bipolar Disorder?

No one knows the exact causes of bipolar disorder. Experts have found that, like any other illness, some factors may increase the risk. These factors may be in a person's genes. Imbalances of certain chemicals in the brain are thought to lead to symptoms of the illness. Medicine plays a key role in balancing these chemicals.

Who Gets Bipolar Disorder?

Over 2 million American adults have bipolar disease bipolar disorder. But these numbers could be higher. That's because many people with this bipolar disease illness don't know they have it. So they don't seek treatment.

Here are some facts about bipolar disease and who gets it:

Here are some facts about bipolar disorder and who gets it:

• In a large survey, almost 1 in 25 adults showed signs of bipolar disease bipolar I or bipolar II disorder. That's over 6 million adults in the U.S. But only 1 in 5 people in the survey had been told by their doctor that they had bipolar disease bipolar disorder.
• The illness bipolar disease affects both men and women. But men are less likely to get treatment.
• Most often, the first manic episode starts in the late teens or early 20s. But it can also happen in young children and older adults.
• Some people are born with a greater chance of getting this bipolar disease illness. It can run in families.

Everyone is different and this disease can affect people differently. Talk to a doctor to see if you or a loved one has bipolar disease bipolar disorder.

Signs and Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

In bipolar disorder, times of mania or depression are called episodes. Even with treatment, the average person with bipolar disorder has 4 episodes in the first 10 years of the illness. Without treatment, most people will have episodes more often.

What are the signs of acute mania or a mixed episode?

During acute mania you may:

• Feel overly happy
• Feel hyper
• Feel grouchy
• Feel restless
• Have difficulty concentrating

You may also think and talk fast or treat people in a rude manner. You may go days with little or no sleep.

Acute mania can also make you feel as if you are on top of the world. This may lead to very reckless behavior, like: bipolar disorder symptoms

• Causing problems at work
• Spending sprees
• Risky sex
• Abuse of alcohol or drugs

In a mixed episode of bipolar disorder, you may feel manic and depressed symptoms bipolar disorder symptoms at the same time. Signs of a mixed state include feeling very sad, hopeless and full of energy.

Sometimes if an acute manic or mixed state is severe, you may have thoughts that are unusual. You might even hear voices or see things that are not there.

The Impact of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder can have serious effects on your life and the lives of your loved ones. You may see some problems day to day, but you should know the long-term problems that this disease can cause.

Here are some of the long-term problems that bipolar disorder can cause:

• Bipolar disorder can cause problems with relationships, jobs, and family.
• Married people with bipolar disorder are 2 to 3 times more likely to get divorced than those who do not have the disease.
• Bipolar disorder is often not treated or misdiagnosed. Because of this, you may not understand your own behavior and your loved ones may feel frustrated.

Psychotherapy

Therapy can help you manage your illness in these ways:

• It can help you look for signs that tell you an episode is coming on so you get bipolar treatment bipolar disorder treatment early.
• It can help you see the role stress plays in your illness and ways to lower stress and conflict in your life.
• It can help you understand why taking your medicine the right way can help you bipolar disorder treatment treat your illness.
• It can teach you how to replace negative thoughts and actions with positive ones.

Therapy options include:

• Individual — just the therapist and patient
• Group — the therapist, patient, and others with similar illnesses
• Family — the therapist, patient, and family members