Bipolar World Schizophrenia.com, Indepth Schizophrenia Information and Support Bipolar Advantage What Is Bipolar? | Types, Symptoms, Treatment Bipolar disorder is a treatable illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy, and behavior. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression because a person’s mood can alternate between the “poles”—mania (highs) and depression (lows). The change in mood can last for hours, days, weeks, or months. What bipolar is not Bipolar disorder is not a character flaw or sign of personal weakness. Who bipolar disorder affects Bipolar disorder affects more than two million adult Americans. An equal number of men and women develop this illness. The illness tends to run in families and appears to have a genetic link. Types of bipolar disorder Different types of bipolar disorder are determined by patterns and severity of symptoms of highs and lows. Bipolar I disorder is characterized by one or more manic episodes that last at least a week or require hospitalization. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by one or more depressive episodes accompanied by at least one hypomanic episode.
How to Recognize a Manic Episode or Hypomanic Episode of Bipolar Disorder If someone you know has or may have bipolar disorder, you need to know the signs that point to a manic or hypomanic episode. If you see a group of these behaviors, you (if possible and appropriate) or the individual in question should contact a doctor. Going to an emergency room may be the right choice, depending on how extreme the behavior is. Keep a notebook just for recording manic (and depressive) symptoms. Note: Most symptoms are shared between mania and hypomania. Make note of any changes in sleeping patterns, especially if your friend or loved one has lots of energy on just a few hours of sleep. Tips: Make a pact with your friend that if you bring these manic behaviors to his attention, he will contact his doctor. This is not an exhaustive list of manic symptoms.
Personality disorders A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving. A person with a personality disorder has trouble perceiving and relating to situations and to people. This causes significant problems and limitations in relationships, social encounters, work and school. In some cases, you may not realize that you have a personality disorder because your way of thinking and behaving seems natural to you. Personality disorders usually begin in the teenage years or early adulthood. SymptomsJan. 31, 2014 References Personality disorders.
LucidInterval.org - A Self-Management Guide for Bipolar Disorder Mania Manic Episode Several elements must be present to diagnose a manic episode. First, there must be a distinct period during which there are marked changes in mood—abnormally elevated (on top of the world), expansive (flamboyant, filters off), or irritable—and goal-directed activity or energy level. Next, the uncharacteristic behavior or mood must last at least a week, or require hospitalization. • inflated self-esteem or grandiosity • decreased need for sleep (for example, feeling rested after just a few hours’ sleep) • more talkative or sociable than usual, or pressure to keep talking • flight of ideas or the feeling that thoughts are racing • easily distracted by unimportant or irrelevant things • Increase in activity levels, either goal-directed (such as taking on new projects or socializing more) or a restless busyness • plunging into reckless activities like buying sprees, promiscuity or high-risk business deals Hypomanic Episode Major Depressive Episode
Antidepressants in Bipolar Disorder PsychEducation.org (home) Antidepressants in Bipolar Disorder: The Controversies[Updated 2/2014 with ISBD review. Controversy 3 updated in September 2009; all else is older. Reviewed for accuracy in October 2012] This page has been maintained for nearly 5 years. Unfortunately, most of the controversies below remain controversial. The bottom line overall here: antidepressants may carry much more risk for people with bipolar disorder than is generally recognized. However, antidepressants may pose bigger risks in the long term. Therefore, considerable caution should be used before starting an antidepressant in a patient with bipolar disorder. Finally, some patients clearly do better if they stay on an antidepressant. Page outline International Society for Bipolar Disorders Task Force recommendations: you might just want to read this and stop there! Controversy "zero": Do antidepressants even work in bipolar depression? Controversy 2a: Do antidepressants cause rapid cycling? 1. 2. 3.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Symptoms, Treatment and Self-Help What is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless. Most people associate PTSD with battle-scarred soldiers—and military combat is the most common cause in men—but any overwhelming life experience can trigger PTSD, especially if the event feels unpredictable and uncontrollable. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect those who personally experience the catastrophe, those who witness it, and those who pick up the pieces afterwards, including emergency workers and law enforcement officers. It can even occur in the friends or family members of those who went through the actual trauma. PTSD develops differently from person to person. Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD include: The difference between PTSD and a normal response to trauma For most people, however, these symptoms are short-lived. A normal response to trauma becomes PTSD when you become stuck
5 Simple Strategies to Reclaim Your Sleep During Daylight Saving Time Photo: Pexels.com By April Michael I really have a love/hate relationship with Daylight Saving Time (DST). When I was younger, I always got excited about the “spring forward” since it means longer daylight hours and that summer is just around the corner. As I got older, though, and particularly after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, DST meant my already tenuous sleep patterns would take a further beating. Somewhat counterintuitively, my manias always lined up with fall and winter, while my depressions lined up with spring and summer. So how do you maintain your mental health during the clock change, whether you’re stable or in a depressive or manic episode? As you probably well know, maintaining good sleep hygiene is a crucial part of maintaining good mental health, particularly in the case of bipolar disorder. Scientists have found a link between lack of sleep and increased risk of relapse for people with bipolar disorder. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Read more:
8 Things Everybody Ought to Know About Concentrating “Music helps me concentrate,” Mike said to me glancing briefly over his shoulder. Mike was in his room writing a paper for his U.S. History class. On his desk next to his computer sat crunched Red Bulls, empty Gatorade bottles, some extra pocket change and scattered pieces of paper. In the pocket of his sweat pants rested a blaring iPod with a chord that dangled near the floor, almost touching against his Adidas sandals. On his computer sat even more stray objects than his surrounding environment. Mike made a shift about every thirty seconds between all of the above. Do you know a person like this? The Science Behind Concentration In the above account, Mike’s obviously stuck in a routine that many of us may have found ourselves in, yet in the moment we feel it’s almost an impossible routine to get out of. When we constantly multitask to get things done, we’re not multitasking, we’re rapidly shifting our attention. Phase 1: Blood Rush Alert Phase 2: Find and Execute Phase 3: Disengagement
10 Laws of Productivity You might think that creatives as diverse as Internet entrepreneur Jack Dorsey, industrial design firm Studio 7.5, and bestselling Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami would have little in common. In fact, the tenets that guide how they – and exceptionally productive creatives across the board – make ideas happen are incredibly similar. Here are 10 laws of productivity we’ve consistently observed among serial idea executors: 1. Break the seal of hesitation. A bias toward action is the most common trait we’ve found across the hundreds of creative professionals and entrepreneurs we’ve interviewed. 2. When our ideas are still in our head, we tend to think big, blue sky concepts. 3. Trial and error is an essential part of any creative’s life. To avoid ‘blue sky paralysis,’ pare your idea down to a small, immediately executable concept. 4. When working on in-depth projects, we generate lots of new ideas along the way. 5. 6. 7. 8. Few activities are more of a productivity drain than meetings. 9.
How to Stop Worrying: Self-Help for Anxiety Relief Why is it so hard to stop worrying? Constant worrying takes a heavy toll. It keeps you up at night and makes you tense and edgy during the day. You hate feeling like a nervous wreck. For most chronic worriers, the anxious thoughts are fueled by the beliefs—both negative and positive—they hold about worrying. On the negative side, you may believe that your constant worrying is harmful, that it’s going to drive you crazy or affect your physical health. On the positive side, you may believe that your worrying helps you avoid bad things, prevents problems, prepares you for the worst, or leads to solutions. Negative beliefs, or worrying about worrying, add to your anxiety and keep worry going. Why you keep worrying You have mixed feelings about your worries. Maybe I'll find a solution. You have a hard time giving up on your worries because, in a sense, your worries have been working for you. Source: The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You by Robert L. How did you do? What?