Humans can become a victim of a variety of mental illnesses
such as bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, cyclothymic disorder, anxiety, an eating disorder, and alcohol abuse. It is becoming a commonality across the nation.
Of these numerous mental illnesses, bipolar disorder is one
of the most common conditions which is chronic and may cause a severe distress
to the patients often impairing their mental abilities and adversely impacting
their health and other various aspects of life.
Mental Illness Reports
● Almost 10 million American adults
(1 in 25) are crippled by mental illnesses, such as a psychotic disorder, a serious
mood disorder, or an anxiety disorder.
● A 2015 Centers for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC) report says 41,149 US citizens fell prey to suicide in
2013, which is the largest in number since studies have began.
● The economic burden of mental
illnesses in the US reached a whopping $467 billion in the year 2012.
● A study shows nearly 2.9% of the
US population is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and more than three fourths
of the cases are severe.
Knowing Bipolar Disorder
Knowing your disease is the first step towards recovery. If
you can express how you are feeling, you are more likely to visit your doctor
and talk about the difficulties you are facing.
Bipolar disorder, previously called
manic-depressive disorder, is a chronic mental illness characterized by
severe mood swings with alternating periods of emotional highs and lows.
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An individual can have feelings of euphoria, elevated
creativity, and high energy levels. This state is called mania. In a manic
state, some patients can lose touch with their reality. In another mild form of
mania, the patient can experience all the symptoms of mania but still has sense
of reality. This state is called hypomania.
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Things never get done: Utilizing all the energy and
creativity obtained during the manic phase of the condition, a person with
Bipolar Disorder may start a thousand tasks at a time but fails to complete
even a single one.
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Emotional lows, or depressive symptoms, are an
inseparable phase of bipolar disorder. The depressive symptoms can be similar to
those seen in patients with depression alone.
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The inability to concentrate, irritability, enhanced or
lost self-image, sleep problems, and other mood changes can wreak havoc on an
individual’s performance at school or in the office.
●
Alcohol abuse is common in patients with this mooddisorder, which in turn may deteriorate other symptoms of the condition.
When to Ask for Help
The sooner you ask for help, the greater the chances will be
to reach a full recovery. It is important to contact doctors if you have any
questions or concerns, as they are trained not only to treat your disorder, but
to help you when you are confused. For specialized care through the top
psychiatrists in your area.
