All About Manic Depression
Manic depression, also known as bioplar disorder, falls into
the family of mental illness known as mood disorders. This
means that it effects how a person feels, as opposed to such
disorders as schizophrenia that make it difficult for a person
to separate what is real from what isn’t.
Mental illnesses are disorders that effect how a person’s brain
works. It is not the type of thing where a person asked for it
or can overcome the symptoms by willpower. With proper
treatment, people with mental illnesses, like manic depression,
can get help to control their symptoms. They can have a good
quality of life.
What is Manic Depression?
Manic depression affects a person’s moods, giving them periods
of greatly elevated moods (“manic”) and low moods
(“depression”). While it is perfectly normal for people to have
both high and low moods, the person with manic depression
experiences greatly exaggerated highs and lows. The episodes
may come and go, but this is a chronic condition.
In the manic phase of the disorder, the person may have a
decreased need for sleep, an increased energy level, or
feelings of being “high”. He or she might come across as being
angry or irritable. Some people in the manic phase take risks
they would not normally take, such as reckless driving or
abusing alcohol or drugs.
A very high self-esteem is part of the manic phase. The person
might have a higher-than-usual sex drive as well. Some people
people in this phase of the disorder might spend
recklessly.
The depressive part of the illness is quite different from the
manic phase. In the low part of the mood cycle, feelings of
hopelessness, guilt, or wanting to die are common. Changes in
the person’s appetite, a decrease in energy, and increased
ability to make decisions can happen. Experiencing stomach
aches and headaches is not uncommon.
Manic Depression by the Numbers
In the United States, more than 15% of all illnesses are mental
illnesses. (That is more than all forms of cancer and problems
caused by addictions to drugs and alcohol.) If you know of
someone who has been diagnosed with manic depression, he or she
is in good company. It has been estimated that this disorder
affects between two and four percent of the world’s population,
some 222 million people.
Treatment Options for Manic Depression
There is no cure for manic depression but some of the symptoms
can be controlled by the use of medication. Some medications
are used to treat acute symptoms; that is, those caused by
severe episodes of mania or depression. Other medications are
used to prevent future episodes of these types and are referred
to as “maintenance therapy”.
In addition to medications, people with bipolar disorder can
benefit from psychotherapy as part of the treatment process.
Therapy can help the person understand the disorder and come to
terms with what the diagnosis means for them. Through the
process of going to therapy, the client may get a better
understanding of how the bipolar disorder affects their
relationships with family and friends.
If the person is having a depressive episode, the therapy may
help the person to adopt some thought processes that are
positive instead of negative. He or she may be able to
recognize a manic or depressive episode as it is starting, and
get appropriate treatment quickly. Other family members will
come to understand the disorder better by attending therapy
sessions themselves.
Manic depression is a chronic but treatable mental illness.
Getting proper treatment is key to having a good quality of
life.
| 
Delicious
Google Bookmarks
Stumbleupon
Digg
BlinkList
Ma.gnolia
Reddit
Yahoo My Web