Bipolar Disorder Research Paper

Bipolar Disorder

Many people think that bipolar disorder is a rare condition, but that is not the case. In reality, it affects millions of young adults. Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is a serious brain illness that makes the person go through unusual shifts in mood. There are at least five different types of bipolar disorder called Bipolar I disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder, Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder, and Mixed State. Each type has different characteristics and episodes, which include manic, hypomanic, and/or depressive episodes.

When a person has a manic episode they feel abnormally energized, both physically and mentally. Often a person with mania will feel as if they can do everything and

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), it is defined by at least one manic episode that lasts at least seven days or manic symptoms that require the person to be hospitalized and are followed by depressive episodes that typically last at least two weeks. They also state that symptoms of mania and depression can occur at the same time in this type of disorder. For example, in a case written on “This Is What It's Actually Like to Live with Bipolar Disorder” by Tessa Miller (2017), a girl named Emma says, “I was diagnosed with bipolar I at 14, after being misdiagnosed with ADHD for about six years. My pediatrician referred me to a psychiatrist after she suspected that my ADHD was a misdiagnosis. Now, my depression is easier to handle than it has ever been, partially because [more people publicly talk about it], so it's easier to find communal support for it. Mania is still hard because the effects are harder to deal with after the fact, like [financial problems from overspending], or hurtful things I say or do to people I care

This form is characterized by having both symptoms of mania and depression at the same time in one episode without any rest of a normal mood during the same episode. The DSM-IV states that “patients must meet criteria for both manic and depressive episodes nearly every day for at least one consecutive week in order to qualify for a diagnosis of a mixed episode.” According to a 2015 study from the University of Siena School of Medicine, “around 40 percent of people with bipolar disorder will experience a mixed episode at least once during the course of their disease.” In an article of the International Bipolar Foundation, Nicole, a girl with mixed mania, says that “Mixed episodes are particularly brutal for me as they completely disrupt every aspect of my life. I am no longer able to function with my activities of daily living, instead, I pace restlessly starting one project to stop in the middle and start another.” When someone is going through a mixed episode, they cannot function normally and it can cause impairment in their life. Bipolar disorder with mixed features is a term used to describe either a manic state with depressive symptoms or a depressive state with manic symptoms. While the distinction may seem confusing, the two mood states are clearly said in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) issued by the American Psychiatric