When you find out someone has bipolar disorder, in all honesty, what is your first impression of them? Likely, you will feel uncomfortable. Because of the preconceived opinions present in our society today, most people think when someone has a mood disorder, that person is insane. However, this statement is not correct. Bipolar disorder, one of the most common mood disorders in our era, is more than that. Scientists constantly discuss the causes of this disorder, its symptoms, and its treatments.
Stress or trauma can trigger bipolar disorder. Nevertheless, there are two primary reasons behind it. One of them is heredity. According to recent research, genetic factors account for about 60 to 80 percent of the cause of the bipolar disorder. Nonetheless, this also means some people did not inherit this condition from their family elders. That is because these people have this disorder owing to chemical imbalances in the brain. The chemicals responsible for controlling the brain's functions are neurotransmitters and include noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine. There's evidence that if there is an imbalance in the levels of 1 or more neurotransmitters, a person may develop some symptoms of bipolar disorder. For instance, there's proof that episodes of mania may occur when levels of noradrenaline are too high, and episodes of depression may be the result of noradrenaline levels becoming too low.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. This disorder's name was manic depression since this condition includes mania and depression. The manic state is acutely feeling energized. A manic person commonly shows symptoms such as insomnia, unrealistic overconfidence, delusions, being easily distracted, having racing thoughts, talking more, and listening less. Whereas it can be said depression is the opposite. For example, some depression symptoms are undereating or overeating, sleeping a lot to avoid thoughts, self-harm, isolating oneself, low energy, and constant sadness and hopelessness. If a person goes through these states in a short period, this person is most likely to have bipolar disorder.
Over the years, scientists worked heartily to find a cure for this condition. Despite many efforts, there is still no cure for this condition. Notwithstanding, it is doable to control this disorder with behaviour therapy by professionals, mood stabilizers, and other bipolar medicines. These people can still live productive, healthy, and happy lives along with the treatment.
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder where a person goes through mania and depression in a short amount of time. Our genetics and our brain chemistry can cause this condition. Yet traumatic events or stressful situations can trigger this condition further. Unfortunately, there is not any cure for this disorder right now. Nevertheless, thanks to the right therapy and medication, people with bipolar disorders can live fulfilling lives. In the end, everyone should learn about common mental health disorders, especially bipolar disorder, to prevent the misrepresentation of people with these conditions.