What is Bipolar Disorder, or BPD, and how does it affect individuals who have it? BPD is generally known by its manic depression symptoms, and rapid mood and thought changes. Most people experience highs and lows in life, but someone who has BPD will feel these emotions on a rapid basis, with much more intensity. The sudden changes make it hard to work, enjoy life or handle daily responsibilities. This issue usually first arises in the teen years or in the early twenties, with men and women being affected equally by this condition.
BPD comes from genetics and atmosphere alike, but its origins are not fully known. The prevalence of BPD is the same, regardless of race, social class and ethnic background. You will be able to manage this problem with medicine, but a suitable diagnosis should be made first. Because BPD includes signs and symptoms that mimic other mental health disorders, it might take a while to arrive at a proper diagnosis for this particular illness. Drug abuse and addiction can play a large part in BPD because many with this mental health disorder use alcohol or drugs in an attempt to manage their symptoms.
Ten-percent of people with BPD are going to be considered rapid cyclers. If this illness makes it impossible to function on a normal level for two weeks or more, this is recognized as an episode. Anyone that has four or five episodes in one year is identified as a BPD rapid cycler. This characteristic is more likely to be found in women, and requires treatment immediately.
The alterations in mood can happen frequently with BPD, or perhaps less frequently with more pronounced highs and lows. This illness includes emotional instability and continuous mood changes, and though recovering from it can be very difficult, it is not impossible. BPD will not disappear, and delaying treatment is only going to result in the symptoms becoming more severe with time.
BPD is observed to have four classification types, which are I, II, Cyclothymic, and unspecified, all of which have unique symptoms, severity levels and recommended treatments. Drug abuse very commonly accompanies BPD, and the dual diagnosis makes treatment more complicated. Medicines will usually be required to treat BPD, but alcohol and drugs can hinder these medicines in many ways. Commonly used medicines for BPD are antipsychotics, Tegretol, Depakote, Lithium and antidepressants.
