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Patient Education V

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a serious mental illness that causes extreme mood swings between emotional highs and lows. Around 2.9% of Americans are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which typically develops between ages 15-25. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition that can be managed through medication, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, acupuncture, and regulating sleep, in order to minimize manic and depressive episodes and allow patients to live relatively normal lives.

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47 views2 pages

Patient Education V

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a serious mental illness that causes extreme mood swings between emotional highs and lows. Around 2.9% of Americans are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which typically develops between ages 15-25. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition that can be managed through medication, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, acupuncture, and regulating sleep, in order to minimize manic and depressive episodes and allow patients to live relatively normal lives.

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Patient Education

Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder was previously known as manic depression. It is a very serious mental
disease that can destroy relationships, affect career opportunities, affect academics,
and can sometimes lead to suicide if it is not treated. This disorder can cause extreme
mood swings that include emotional highs and lows.

Facts
 2.9% of Americans have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder
 83% of cases are classified as severe
 Diagnosis commonly occurs between the ages of 15 to 25, but can happen at
any time
 Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition
 Episodes may last for several weeks or months with periods of stability in
between
 Can be managed with medication

Causes
- There are studies that suggest bipolar disorder may be genetic
- Biological traits
- Neurological
- Environmental factors can include extreme stress, traumatic experiences, and
physical illness

Symptoms
 Mania and hypomania – symptoms include feeling weird, missing work or school,
excessive and rapid talking, racing thoughts, and exhilarated or euphoric feeling
 Major depressive episode – symptoms include extreme sadness, insomnia,
anxiety, weight loss or gain, extreme fatigue
 Mixed affective episodes

Types
- Bipolar I – must have experienced at least one manic episode, had a previous
major depressive episode and the doctor must rule out other disorders
- Bipolar II – The patient must have experienced one or more episodes of
depression and at least one hypomanic episode; also involves mixed episodes
- Cyclothymia – low-level depression episodes that alternate with periods of
hypomania
Treatment
Treatment is to help minimize the frequency of manic and depressive episodes to help
live a relatively normal life. Treatments are:
 Psychotherapy
 Medication
 Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
 Acupuncture
 Sleep medication

References:
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37010.php
www.healthline.com/health/bipolar-disorder#facts
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-
20355955

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