Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Bipolar mood disorder is the newest term for manic depression, and is characterized by severe mood swings that lead to suicidal thoughts, mania, irritability and depression. It is a severe chemical imbalance that causes physical and mental harm.

History

• According to Mental Health Matters, scientists recently changed manic depression's name to bipolar mood disorder to better reflect what it is. People previously mistook it as a depression disorder.

Cause

• Abnormal brain activity causes bipolar disorder. A traumatic event, stress, or genetics can trigger abnormal functioning of neurotransmitters in the brain.

Significance

• Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness. The risks include suicide, harm to others and self mutilation.

Types

• There are several types of bipolar mood disorder recognized by the scientific community, ranked by severity. It includes Cyclothymic, Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Rapid Cycling Disorder.

Misconceptions

• People often mistake bipolar mood disorder for PMS, or teenagers simply acting out. Many people are not diagnosed until adulthood because of these misconceptions.