What does biPolar mean?

Answer 1

OK, so it's a mood disorder and a serious mental illness. It has a strong genetic component, but appears to be triggered environmentally. There are no diagnostic tests for it, just psychiatric evaluation. Most sufferers are not diagnosed until middle age, and it takes an average of around 8-10 years to get a correct diagnosis. Historically, figures suggested it affects about 0.8% of the population at some point, which makes it about half as common as schizophrenia. In recent years, bipolar disorder has become an 'in' diagnosis, and many more people are being diagnosed at younger and younger ages. As with ADHD, this fad may well pass with time, although for the moment many celebrities appear to be 'popularising' it.

It is characterised by episodes of severe clinical depression and mania or hypomania (for definitions of those, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_diagnostic_criteria_for_bipolar_disorder ). The extreme end of mania often turns into psychosis, complete with hallucinations and delusions. During manic phases, the person's judgement and perception of reality is severely compromised, leading to risky actions with potentially damaging consequences (financially, sexually and relationship-wise). Untreated, episodes generally worsen over time due to an effect known as kindling. Untreated Bipolar sufferers are at a very high risk of suicide: 20-25% attempt it, and 15% succeed.

The cycles in bipolar disorder are much longer than people generally believe. Anyone whose mood changes from minute to minute is very unlikely to be bipolar. Bipolar 1 is characterised by mood episodes lasting many months, while Bipolar 2 has episodes in the region of weeks to months. Rapid and ultra-rapid cycling bipolar disorder is rare, and cycles last days to weeks.

There are many drugs available to treat the symptoms of bipolar (there is no cure). These are either anti-convulsants or anti-psychotics (personally I take both), and the most well known of these is Lithium. These drugs are heavy duty psychiatric medications and are not to be taken lightly, and most if not all of them have a range of side effects including lethargy, photosensitivity, cognitive impairment (dumb as a box of rocks), weight gain, hormone problems, hair loss and blood problems. These side effects have to be weighed against the benefits of mood stabilisation. Most patients will go through a number of different drugs before finding one that works for them.

Answer 2

Bipolar ailment is a intellectual sickness the place the sufferer alternates between very glad (manic) and really sad (depressive). There are a couple of extraordinary forms of bipolar disease: bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia and bipolar NOS. Bipolar I is the place the individual goes from manic to depressive, despite the fact that depressive episodes usually are not imperative for a prognosis as they will occur when anyone has BP I. Bipolar II is where the individual would not have mania, however does have hypomania (which is the place you consider completely satisfied however do not suffer from psychosis or extreme social or occupational impairment) Cyclothymia is the place there may be low grade cycling from hypomanic to depression, that is much less severe than bipolar II. Bipolar NOS is where the man or woman does not meet the requirements for the above issues however nonetheless has signs that purpose tremendous impairment. Most individuals's episodes final three-6 months however individuals who're speedy cycling have greater than 4 per year, they are able to even have single days where they go from depressed to manic and many others., that you would be able to be rapid biking with any type of bipolar disorder. I only went into a little element, but i hope I answered your query.

Answer 3

Well it depends which type of bipolar you are talking about since there are three types. There is bipolar 1, bipolar 2, and cyclothymia. Bipolar 1 is when you have an occurrence of one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes. Bipolar 2 means that there is an occurrence of one or more major depressive episode in addition to at least one hypomanic episode. Cyclothymia is where there are numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms and numerous periods of depressive symptoms.
Bipolar 1 is where you become very happy and then become very depressed (you cycle between the two frequently, most severe of the bipolars). Bipolar 2 is where you are mostly depressed but also cycle into very happy moments (the extremely happy moments are few and the depressive moments are severe and long-lasting). Cyclothymia is where you are a little happy and then depressed (it's less severe than the other two).
Side note: manic means you are very happy. When I say you are happy, your mood appears to be elevated, expansive, and sometimes irratible lasting at least 4 days. Hypomanic is similar to manic except your mood/symptoms of happiness is less severe/less elevated than with manic.

Answer 4

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe.

Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:
Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
Excessively "high," overly good, euphoric mood
Extreme irritability
Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
Distractibility, can't concentrate well
Little sleep needed
Unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities and powers
Poor judgment
Spending sprees
A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
Increased sexual drive
Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
Denial that anything is wrong

Answer 5

manic depressive. A person has to poles of personailty. Most people spend most of there time in the middle of these to poles. Extremely happy, manic, or extremly sad, depressed. and I don't mean extremely happy, something just great happened and we are very happy aboutit. I meanon top of the world, nothing can happen to me beyond normal kindof happy. whwn someone is bipolar or manic depressive, they swing from one pole to another w/o a reason. they can go from really happy to cryingthere eyes out for no reason. it doesn't have to be as drastic as that. and when things worsen they can do it and be back in a matter of minutes to hours.

Answer 6

Basically, when a person is diagnosed as biPolar, usually it means that the person suffers from intense sudden mood swings. For example, you can be happy and laughing one minute, and the next be angry and screaming for no apparent reason. Some cases are more extreme than others.

Answer 7

Really, really, crazy moodswings, more or less. There's probably a lot more to it than that, so I inculded a quote from a website, and the link to that website.

"People who have bipolar disorder talk about experiencing mood shifts. These swings can be severe, ranging from extreme energy to deep despair. These mood shifts disrupt normal life activities distinguish bipolar mood episodes from ordinary mood changes. The shifts may be mild ranging from sadness to irritability or restlessness."

Answer 8

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes the inflicted to uncontrollably swing between periods of mania (excitedness or extreme happiness) and depression (extreme tiredness and saddness). It is a serious and incurable disease, however it may occur in differing forms. Hypomania may seem to be only short periods of intense dpression, whereas cyclothymia may seem to be relatively weak mood swings.

Answer 9

A kinder, gentler way of saying Manic Depressive.

Answer 10

bipolar means you are very depressed or very "high" energetic "on top of the world" so to speak..you swing back and forth between the two.It is controlled by certain medications.........