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Bipolar
Disorder |
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What is Bipolar Disorder |
Bipolar disorder
(sometimes called manic-depression) is an illness, a
medical condition. It affects the normal functioning of
the brain, so that the person experiences extreme moods
- very high and over-excited or very low and depressed.
The person may be affected so much that he or she
experiences the symptoms of psychosis and is unable to
distinguish what is real. The symptoms generally respond
well to treatment, and most people with bipolar disorder
recover well from episodes of the illness. |
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What are the symptoms of
Bipolar Disorder |
People with bipolar
disorder can become high, over-excited and reckless, or
imagine that they are more important or influential than
they are in real life. They can also become extremely
low, feeling helpless and depressed, with difficulty
making decisions or concentrating. Some people mainly
experience highs. Some experience mainly lows, and some
experience both extremes — becoming profoundly depressed
or over-excited. The person may then behave in an
uncharacteristically irrational or risky manner. |
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What causes Bipolar
Disorder |
The causes of bipolar
disorder are not fully understood. As with any other
illnesses, they are likely to be a combination of
hereditary and other causes, but a genetic
predisposition to develop the illness has been clearly
established by scientists |
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How many people develop
Bipolar Disorder |
Up to two in a hundred
people will develop bipolar disorder at some time in
their lives |
