whts the meaning o BIPOLAR???

Question

i've just seen tht word in many questions...

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Answer 1

Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression.
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

A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.


Signs and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:

* Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood
* Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
* Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
* Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being "slowed down"
* Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
* Restlessness or irritability
* Sleeping too much, or can't sleep
* Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
* Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury
* Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

A depressive episode is diagnosed if five or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.

When four or more episodes of illness occur within a 12-month period, a person is said to have rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. Some people experience multiple episodes within a single week, or even within a single day. Rapid cycling tends to develop later in the course of illness and is more common among women than among men.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm#bp1

Answer 2

Emotional highs and lows are part of life for everyone. But for someone with bipolar disorder, these ups and downs can be so extreme they can interfere with daily life. Sometimes they can even be dangerous.

One day a person with bipolar disorder may feel so depressed that they can't get out of bed. Work may seem impossible.

On another day that person may feel great, full of endless energy and creativity. But other people might think that their actions are reckless and out of control.

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong medical condition that can be confusing and unpredictable, but it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Learning more about bipolar disorder can be helpful in managing this medical illness.

Answer 3

The word bipolar means having or involving the use of two poles or polarities. So when referring to the mental illness bipolar is dealing with high and low moods.

Answer 4

this is a psychitric ill ness in which the mood swings in extremes . At one end u may be very reactive ,hyper,Talkative & showing all signs of extrovert while at other end u become extremly dipprsive ,uncommunicative & have damaging ideas about urself. The two extremies fluctate in days to months . This needs immediate consultation with a psychitrist as the dipresive moods may turn in sucidal tendencies . But
there are some very good drugs to control this type of illness.

Answer 5

Bipolar is a form of depression that is considered to be very serious. See number 4.

Main Entry: bi·po·lar
Function: adjective
Pronunciation: (")bī-'pO-l&r
1 : having or marked by two mutually repellent forces or diametrically opposed natures or views
2 a : having or involving the use of two poles or polarities b : relating to, being, or using a transistor in which both electrons and holes are utilized as charge carriers
3 : relating to, associated with, or occurring in both polar regions
4 : characterized by the alternation of manic and depressive states

Answer 6

Bi-Polar is a mental illness where a person has a brain imbalance that cause them to really high highs or really really low lows and nothing in between. They can chance in an instance and some of them have problem with concentration, sleeping, preforming everyday task, remembering. But the high and lows are the worse part. Most people who seek treatment can get some relieve if the seek help those who do not often commit suicide, If you knpw someone please be their friend because they will hide it and give you all type of excuses.

Answer 7

Bipolar is a mental illness, causing dramatic mood swings. I am a rapid cycler, which causes me to go from feeling great, to a few hours later, feeling like I want to quit living.
It is caused by not having enough lithium in our brains to help the serotonin levels to be at a theraputic level. So the pdoc's gives us medicationi that will affect those areas of the brain that the lithium would if we had it in the brain. I guess it is a chemical imbalance.

Answer 8

it means that a person has times where they are not aware of their environment, - they have high or low moods that they cannot control without help. It isn't sin, it isn't something they did wrong or anyting like that. An example is a normal person might be irritable but they are aware of their irritability, the bipolar person isn't aware.
The bipolar person might talk fast, but they can't control their speech. It is beyond their ability to take care of themselves.
Most people don't understand this.

Answer 9

Yes, it is the great MH buzzword these days, isn't it? It is a reworking of the old "manic depressive" diagnosis. Just a cosmetic change so that Big Pharma can re-cash in by creating more and more medications. If you want a consumer's viewpoint, go to
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SSRI-Crusaders/ and if you want to know more about the drugs that are being prescribed for Bipolarity and other 'disorders', go to http://www.drugawareness.org/Ribbon/SSRIMeds.html

God bless!

Answer 10

Going from depression to elation in a short period of time and back again

Depression might be identified by:
Refusing to get out of bed for days on end
Sleeping much more than usual
Being tired all the time but unable to sleep
Having bouts of uncontrollable crying
Becoming entirely uninterested in things you once enjoyed
Paying no attention to daily responsibilities
Feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless for a sustained period of time
Becoming unable to make simple decisions
Wanting to die

Mania might include:
Feeling like you can do anything, even something unsafe or illegal
Needing very little sleep, yet never feeling tired
Dressing flamboyantly, spending money extravagantly, living recklessly
Having increased sexual desires, perhaps even indulging in risky sexual behaviors
Experiencing hallucinations or delusions
Feeling filled with energy