Do you have bipolar disorder that requires treatment? Watch for these symptoms

The first symptoms of bipolar disorder usually appear between the ages of 15 and 35. Bipolar disorder, or bipolar disorder, is a treatment-requiring and severe mental disorder.

Bipolar disorder, or bipolar disorder, is a treatment-requiring and severe mental disorder.

The disease is quite common. Every 50th or at least every 100th recipient has a life-threatening bipolar disorder. However, only half of those who become ill know that they are mentally ill themselves.

The illness recently came to light when Jare Tiihonen , or rap artist Cheek, announced his diagnosis .

- The disease begins with a period of depression and becomes a two-way mood disorder when the first hypomanic or manic episode becomes, says Marko Sorvaniemi , Docent of Psychiatry, in an earlier story by Ilta-Sanomat .

The disease is identified by alternating, repetitive stages of mania and depression, each with its own characteristics.

Observe these 10 symptoms

Manic phase

6. Difficulty concentrating, can also manifest as indecision and frustration

Often a lifelong treatment

In almost all, the first episode of bipolar disorder occurs between the ages of 15 and 35 years. Approximately as many patients are women and men.

There must be more than one of the above symptoms and they must be so severe that they impair the ability to function. Bipolar disorder is sometimes difficult to distinguish from, for example, major depression.

It is good to remember that in a milder form, mood swings are normal. Medications that may cause similar symptoms should also be ruled out.

Bipolar disorder is highly inherited. The disease is associated with an increased risk of suicide.

Bipolar disorder, Symptoms, The course of the disease, Self-care

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder (previously referred to as manic-depressive disorder; ICD-10 diagnostic code F31) is characterized by consecutive depressive and manic episodes. Between episodes of illness, a person may be completely asymptomatic, but may also suffer from milder depression or other symptoms.

Depressive episodes of bipolar disorder do not differ in their symptoms from normal depressive states (see Depression, depression, depressive symptom, and depressive disorder ). However, they may be somewhat shorter in duration and, more commonly than other depressive conditions, present with psychotic symptoms, slowing of thoughts and movements, hypersomnia, increased appetite, and weight gain. It is important for drug treatment of depressive disorders to know whether it is a depressive episode of bipolar disorder or another depressive disorder.

The depressive stages of bipolar disorder are usually longer lasting than the manic and hypomanic episodes. Depressive episodes of bipolar disorder are not always conditions that benefit from drug treatment. Prolonged depression in particular is the result of the painful consequences and effects on the self-esteem of recurrent episodes of illness, the constructive work of which often requires a close and supportive psychotherapeutic relationship.

The diagnosis of bipolar disorder requires that at least one of the episodes has been manic or mildly manic (hypomanic). If the mood is manic during the illness, it is a type I form. If the episode is hypomanic, i.e. mildly manic, it is a type II form. If symptoms of both depression and mania occur during a period of illness, the condition is called a mixed period.

Symptoms

Typical features of mania are at least one consecutive week during which a person's mood is elevated abnormally. Often, the elevated mood is also associated with irritability. The activity, eloquence, Thought Orientation, and self-esteem of the mania have been greatly elevated. Her need for sleep has diminished. The person has varying degrees of magnitude and is fragmented and incapable of concentration. He often wastes money indiscriminately, participates uncritically in everything dangerous, is hypersexual, and behaves inappropriately.

Hypomania is a milder episode of mania, the symptoms of which resemble mania but are milder in degree and never comparable to mental illness (psychotic). It is often quite difficult to distinguish the hypomanic period characteristic of the second type of bipolar disorder from the mood variations associated with psychological factors and personality structure.

Distinguishing hypomania from positive or characteristic enthusiasm is sometimes quite difficult. However, in addition to enthusiasm, hypomania also emphasizes irritability, short-term tension, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and often also increased alcohol use.

At least about 1% of adults suffer from bipolar disorder. The susceptibility to bipolar disorder is usually partly hereditary. If one identical twin has bipolar disorder, the other will have more than a 50% chance of developing the same disorder.

The course of the disease

Bipolar disorder is characterized by a susceptibility to recurrence of disease episodes. In different individuals, the number of episodes of illness over a lifetime varies greatly from a few episodes to as many as several dozen. In more than 90%, the first period of the disease occurs in young adults between the ages of 15 and 35. If the first manic episode occurs at a later age, there may be some underlying brain or another somatic disease. The interval between the first and second periods of illness is on average 3-4 years; thereafter, recurrent periods of illness may recur every 1 to 3 years.

However, the frequency of disease episodes varies greatly from person to person. Sometimes episodes of illness occur more than four episodes per year, in which case it is a rapid-cyclical form of bipolar disorder. Hypothyroidism may increase the frequency of disease episodes. With proper medication and lifestyle management, the recurrence of disease episodes can be significantly reduced.

Recurrent episodes of illness are associated with a high risk of divorce, career breaks, and incapacity for work. In addition, bipolar disorder is associated with a markedly increased risk of suicide.

Manic and hypomanic periods in particular are often associated with intermittent heavy and compulsive alcohol use. Episodic alcohol abuse may be underpinned by undiagnosed and untreated bipolar disorder.

Self-care

A basic prerequisite for the management of bipolar disorder is the ability to accept one's susceptibility to recurrent episodes of mania and depression. For most, the recurrence of disease episodes can be substantially reduced or even completely prevented with appropriate medication or lifestyle changes.

The main means of preventing recurrent episodes are either continuous or initiated medication immediately after the onset of symptoms. However, many people with bipolar disorder are reluctant to stop taking medication or stop taking it at the onset of mania or hypomania, which is when they would benefit most from taking medication. It is difficult to implement medication that substantially shortens or prevents the recurrence of illnesses if a person does not accept their illness due to the shame often associated with psychiatric illnesses or for other reasons.

Many sufferers of the disease are completely asymptomatic between periods of illness. Potential recurrent episodes of illness are substantially easier to manage if the susceptible sufferer learns to recognize the precautionary signs or pre-symptoms characteristic of a recurrent episode. Such pre-symptoms of a recurrent period of illness may include small changes in mood, need for sleep, ability to concentrate, energy, self-esteem, and sexual interest. Identifying the warning signs will help you see a doctor and prevent the development or prolongation of a serious period of illness. In this sense, many susceptible sufferers learn to keep a simple diary of mood and symptoms.

It is valuable for a person with bipolar disorder if his or her spouse, parents, or friends can support him or her at different stages of the illness. A good friend or spouse will notice the prescriber symptoms of mania earlier. However, relationships between spouses can be strained if petty rashes or normal mood swings are always seen as precursors to illness. It is a good idea to make a plan with your spouse, friend and attending physician on how to act in the event of pre-symptoms of illness.

Aiming for a regular sleep rhythm and adequate night’s sleep, even on weekends, can be an important way to reduce susceptibility to the disease. This is because disturbances in the body’s circadian rhythms may be one of the triggers for disease episodes. Keeping your sleep rhythm regular requires a largely established bedtime and waking time in the mornings. Regular sleep rhythm should also be maintained on weekends. Shift work, overtime, and continuous disruption of the circadian rhythm due to air travel may increase the recurrence of illnesses.

From the point of view of illness management, it is always beneficial if a person suffering from an illness can openly talk about his or her susceptibility to illness with his or her supervisor or colleagues at work. Staying on sick leave in good time can substantially shorten the period of illness and prevent unnecessary drift into early disability pension.

The use of alcohol and other intoxicants should be avoided. Even slightly higher alcohol consumption easily violates the sleep alert rhythm, exposing the recurrence of disease episodes. The substance abuse problem worsens the prognosis of the disease by impairing judgment and increasing the risk of suicidal behavior. Cannabis use can prolong or intensify episodes of illness and increase manic symptoms.

Important decisions, such as decisions about changing professions or jobs or significant financial or social relationships, should not be made in hypomania or manic state, even during periods of depression. It is wise to postpone making decisions until the mood has leveled off. A person with pre-symptoms or symptoms of hypomania or mania should avoid even slightly larger purchases and give their credit card to their spouse. Those suffering from repeated manic episodes should also consider appointing a trustee for themselves to avoid excessive waste of money during manic episodes.

It is also important to see your doctor if you experience pre-symptoms of depression. If the patient has not been treated by a doctor before, it is important to tell him or her about previous periods of mania or hypomania so that the depression is not treated with antidepressants like a normal depression condition. The use of conventional antidepressants in the treatment of depressive episodes of bipolar disorder can trigger mania or increase the frequency of disease episodes.

In the presence of pre-symptoms or symptoms of depression, sleep should be limited to a maximum of eight hours per day, as excessive sleep exacerbates the symptoms of depression. Even relatively little regular exercise relieves depressive symptoms. Alcohol and drugs exacerbate depressive symptoms.

When to treat

It is always wise to consult a psychiatrist or mental health office in the next few days or weeks if you have or suspect you may have bipolar disorder. If a mania or severe depressive disorder occurs, the person should seek treatment within the next few days. A person with severe or psychotic mania often does not feel sick, so he or she should be hospitalized urgently or involuntarily within the next few days.

With appropriate treatment, the duration and recurrence of disease episodes can be substantially reduced.

Various mood suppressants as well as anti psychotics are primarily used in the drug treatment of the bipolar disorder. The benefit of anti psychotics does not require that the picture of the illness be psychotic.

Medication for depressive episodes of bipolar disorder differs from treatment for other depressive conditions in that the medication uses quetiapine, lurasidone, or mood suppressants instead of antidepressants. Antidepressants can also be used to treat depressive conditions in bipolar disorder, but are usually used in combination with antidepressants or anti psychotics. The use of antidepressants alone may trigger a manic state or increase the incidence of episodes of illness.

Central to cognitive psychotherapy for bipolar disorder is learning how to manage the disease. However, depending on their background and life situation, people with the disease can also benefit from psycho dynamic individual therapy or pair therapy.