Understanding Bipolar Disorder - 4 Episodes, 2 Symptoms, 4 Varieties

A typical day for a person begins with them waking up usually in the morning. They go about their day, doing routine activities such as going to work, meeting deadlines, attending meetings and dealing with all kinds of people.

In the person's home, they must do chores and spend time with family. Other activities must be done too including: going to the grocery store or church. Above all else, they must deal with different scenarios that they can welcome or resent. This all adds up to making the individual sick.

This is the type of day a person suffering from Bipolar contends with. Having the disease should not be hard to talk about but it is even if the person is seeking treatment

Once just called maniac depression, it was later changed to bipolar because of the two extremities of mood polarities. When people with bipolar suffer from extreme highs (mania) or from depression, then they are having what is technically called an episode.

The Four Episodes of Bipolar Disorder

When a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, they will typically suffer from the four symptoms found in the disease: depression, mixed mood, hypomania and mania.

1. Depression- when this episode begins, the person is feeling sad and don't want to do the things they usually do.

2. Mania - this episode starts off as a high feeling, then becomes angry and irritable.

3. Hypomania - a milder form of mania. This can lead to either depression or mania. Can start as a good feeling.

4. Mixed Mood - means a person with feelings of depression and mania at the same time.

Symptoms of Bipolar -

1. Depression - feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness and guilt. The person either sleeps too much or too little and experiences changes in their weight or appetite. They will always feel tired, restless and cannot seem to make a sound decision. A worst case scenario includes the person thinking about suicide or death.

2. Mania - increase in the level of energy, racing thoughts, sleeps less, is easily distracted, excessive self-confidence, increase in talking, is focused by accomplishes very little and does unusual or extreme activities.

Four types of Bipolar -

There are four main types of bipolar disorder.

1. Type 1 - Bipolar I involves manic and mixed episodes including major episodes of depression. The patient could suffer more than one episode for several days, weeks or even months. It seems seasonal changes do affect what symptoms the person shows.

2. Type 2 - Bipolar II involves major episodes of hypomania and depression. A person's normal functions occur between these two episodes.

3. Type 3 - Cyclothymic Disorder is a fluctuating disturbance in moods with hypomania and depression episodes. Considered the milder form since the episodes do not occur on a regular basis and when it occurs it happens on a shorter and less severe times.

4. Type 4 - Not Specified is a treatable disorder where the symptoms shown by the individual do not fit into any particular category.

Bipolar has no known causes. Further studies are being done to find out for sure what causes bipolar disorder though some say genetics. Persons from all races and all ages can suffer from the disease.

If a person is experiencing symptoms, they need to be seen by a physician right away.