Bipolar Disorder: What is Bipolar Disorder?

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Bipolar Disorder: What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar Disorder: What is Bipolar Disorder?

January 21, 2012 at 10:05

Bipolar Disorder: What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar Disorder is also commonly referred to as “manic-depression”. It is a brain disorder which can have severe symptoms in mood shifts, energy level changes, and the ability to carry out normal daily activities. Almost everyone has mood changes and shifts due the normal ups and downs in life. For someone with Bipolar Disorder, these ups and downs are significantly more severe and debilitating in relationships, at work or school, and may even interfere the ability to keep from harming oneself. Most of the research shows the onset is usually before the age of 25, but childhood onset is possible. It is a very difficult disorder to diagnose, and many people suffer for years before discovering what is wrong with them and find treatment.

Catherine Zeta-Jones has Bipolar Too?

Bipolar Disorder and Common Symptoms:

The National Institute of Mental Health lists the following:

Symptoms of mania or a manic episode include:	Symptoms of depression or a depressive episode include:
Mood Changes A long period of feeling “high,” or an overly happy or outgoing mood Extremely irritable mood, agitation, feeling “jumpy” or “wired.” Behavioral Changes Talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another, having racing thoughts Being easily distracted Increasing goal-directed activities, such as taking on new projects Being restless Sleeping little Having an unrealistic belief in one’s abilities Behaving impulsively and taking part in a lot of pleasurable, high-risk behaviors, such as spending sprees, impulsive sex, and impulsive business investments.	Mood Changes A long period of feeling worried or empty Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, including sex. Behavioral Changes Feeling tired or “slowed down” Having problems concentrating, remembering, and making decisions Being restless or irritable Changing eating, sleeping, or other habits Thinking of death or suicide, or attempting suicide.

Symptoms of mania or a manic episode include:

Symptoms of depression or a depressive episode include:

Mood Changes

A long period of feeling “high,” or an overly happy or outgoing mood
Extremely irritable mood, agitation, feeling “jumpy” or “wired.”

Behavioral Changes

Talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another, having racing thoughts
Being easily distracted
Increasing goal-directed activities, such as taking on new projects
Being restless
Sleeping little
Having an unrealistic belief in one’s abilities
Behaving impulsively and taking part in a lot of pleasurable,
high-risk behaviors, such as spending sprees, impulsive sex, and impulsive business investments.

Mood Changes

A long period of feeling worried or empty
Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, including sex.

Behavioral Changes

Feeling tired or “slowed down”
Having problems concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
Being restless or irritable
Changing eating, sleeping, or other habits
Thinking of death or suicide, or attempting suicide.

Do I have Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar Disorder and Brain Function:

When looking at Brain Function with a diagnosis such as Bipolar Disorder, what we are really looking at is a cluster of symptoms that point to specific areas in the brain that are out of balance or “dysfunctional”. In the case of Bipolar, there could be many different areas effected which create the symptoms or instability in the electrical energy of the brain. With the qEEG or Brain Map as an assessment tool, we can see the electrical activity of the brain. We can then determine where and how the dysregulation occurs allowing us to develop treatment protocols to put the brain back into balance without medication.

Bipolar Disorder: Click here for Case Study

Bipolar Disorder and Treatment Options:

There are a variety of treatment options for this disorder. They include medication, nutritional, counseling, and neurofeedback interventions.

Call us today to begin the path toward increased health and healing! We are waiting for your call!