Recognizing Bipolar Manic Depressive Disorder

By Ken P Doyle

There are 5.7 million adults diagnosed of bipolar manic depressive disorder in the United States. Also, the 3.4 million American children and adolescents diagnosed of depression are highly likely to experience bipolar manic disorder symptoms or bipolar depression. The condition can reduce up to 9.2 years from your life span can also cause people to be suicidal or self-destructive behavior is stated by the National Health Institute of Mental Health. Hence, one of the leading causes of human disability is bipolar depressive or bipolar manic disorder. Bipolar is a psychiatric illness that causes unusual and sudden changes to mood, activity and energy levels, which may affect an individual's ability to carry out his day to day tasks. Going from feeling very sad, helpless and despaired, manic depression symptoms can cause him/her to shift to feeling euphoric happiness, being overly active and practically on top of the world, which has been known to severe relationships, affect job and school performance, or even cause suicide.

Definition

Symptoms of bipolar manic disorder include sleeplessness, high energy levels, having large plans for activities, restlessness, talkativeness and uneasiness. Symptoms of bipolar depression are low energy with negative feelings like hopelessness, guilt, anxiety, and appetite loss. A patient might have many of these symptoms daily. The symptoms typically happen throughout the late teenage or early grown up years. The majority of patients begin having the symptoms at approximately twenty five years old. According to statistics, females are 3X more likely to have bipolar episodes than males are. The NIMH additionally says that a family history of the disorder might make an individual's risk of having these symptoms higher.

Analysis

The first step in diagnosis involves physical examinations, interview, lab tests like blood work and brain scans and evaluation of the patient's medical history. After a complete diagnostic evaluation, the doctor may provide referral to a trained mental health specialist such as a psychiatrist, who is more experienced in handling bipolar disorder. Proper and immediate diagnosis is extremely important in helping bipolar sufferers lead a normal life. It will also help provide the right kind of treatment that will reduce the frequency or severity of the symptoms.

Treatment method

A combination of medication and psychotherapy is usually recommended to effectively prevent relapse and bipolar episodes. Mood stabilizers (lithium, valproic acid, and anticonvulsants), atypical antipsychotic (olanzapine, aripiprazolw, quetiapine, risperidone) and antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed among bipolar patients. These are usually prescribed by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. In some cases, sleep medications or sedatives are recommended to patients having trouble sleeping. Psychotherapy or 'talk therapy' provides support, guidance and education among bipolar patients as well as their families. It involves several approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy and psycho education.

Caution

With bipolar manic depressive disorder, making it more difficult to diagnose and treat because there are other illnesses that may coexist. Causing behavioral problems associated with bipolar manic disorder and substance abuse may prolong or trigger bipolar symptoms. Bipolar disorder may be overlapped with anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress, social phobia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Developing thyroid disease, migraine headaches, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, other physical illnesses and people suffering this condition have higher risks also. Hence, seeking professional help is advised upon experiencing symptoms of bipolar depressive or bipolar manic disorder. - 31993

About the Author:

Ken P Doyle has vast amounts of informationand understanding in mental health issues. For additionalinformation on bipolar manic depressive disorder or bipolar manic disorder, look up his websitetoday.

Essential Facts on Paranoid-Type Schizophrenia

By Robert Neale

Paranoid type schizophrenia is one of five different types of schizophrenia, which is a chronic mental illness marked by detachment from reality. What makes paranoid schizophrenia different than other types is the overwhelming paranoia that people are plotting, lurking, spying and out to sabotage them. Usually, these schizophrenics are better able to communicate, memorize and express emotion than other types of schizophrenics, but they are still incapacitated by their irrational fears, delusions and suspicions.

Life with paranoid schizophrenia is frightening. The person experiences voices offering a running commentary on his or her life. "Watch out -- he's watching you from over there, hidden in the shrubbery," claims one voice. "Your teacher is hatching a plot to kill you, so you must kill first," a different voice claims. "They're looking at you out of the TV screens... break them," one more demands. Paranoid schizophrenia is characterized by positive conditions like delusions and aural hallucinations, more so than the negative indicators of speech disturbances, flattened emotions and poor memory.

To diagnose someone with paranoid-type schizophrenia, a mental health specialist will make inquiries concerning signs and symptoms and family history. They will look for paranoia, delusions and hallucinations as the important issues, with not as much stress on difficulties with memory, flat emotions, poor decision making skills and speech problems. Medical professionals will try to differentiate these kinds of thought issues from drug-induced psychosis and epilepsy. Usually, it takes one to six months to formally make a diagnosis. Oftentimes, patients suffer acute psychotic attacks and go through times of remission.

Other symptoms of paranoid type schizophrenia are the same as the other schizophrenia subtypes. For instance, social withdrawal, anxiety, loss of appetite, lack of hygiene, suicidal thoughts and a feeling of being "out of control" are all common among all schizophrenic patients. It can be difficult to define paranoid schizophrenia because the patients run the gamut from appearing normal in every way but occasionally speaking strangely, to appearing quite ill with bizarre behaviors catching attention. Some schizophrenics, for example, will wear aluminum foil hats to prevent their thoughts from "being broadcast" or will smash a TV to prevent "people from spying."

Although mental health researchers have not yet uncovered the causes of paranoid type schizophrenia, they have identified several apparent triggers. For instance, the risk of developing schizophrenia increases from 1% to 5% for people who have an aunt, uncle, cousin or grandparent with the mental disorder; 10% for people who have a parent or sibling with it; or 50% for people who have an identical twin with schizophrenia. Since identical twins are not always both schizophrenic, researchers believe that it's possible a pre-natal event, such as exposure to a virus or malnutrition while in the womb, may affect development and cause the condition to manifest later in life. Other at-risk individuals are said to have older fathers, abusive or traumatic childhoods and are between the ages of 18 and 35. - 31993

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There are many different types of schizophrenia, but paranoid type schizophrenia is by far the most common. It is considered a chronic mental illness that can severely interfere with the patient's ability to think and interact with others. Click here to learn more about schizophrenia disorder.

Paranoid Schizophrenia: What You Should Know

By Robert Neale

There are a number of different kinds or diagnosis of schizophrenia, but paranoid schizophrenia is the most widespread. It is considered a chronic mental illness that can seriously hinder a person's ability to reason and interact with others.

Anxiety is usually a huge issue with those suffering from this illness. They often feel that someone is out to get them. Sometimes this is to the point where they actually believe their life is in danger. It is advised that if you know anyone that exhibits some of these symptoms, or you are having some of these symptoms, a doctor visit needs to be scheduled as soon as possible.

Depending on the type of schizophrenia a person has been diagnosed will depend on how greatly it affects the person's life. Paranoid schizophrenia can be difficult to live with but with the proper medication and treatment programs a person can live a normal life and learn how to cope. Residual schizophrenia is worse because the person just feels like giving up. They lack any sort of motivation and have no interest in anything. Catatonic schizophrenia is hard as well because the person does not seem to be responsive to any stimuli and can have muscular problems due to the unnatural body poses.

Paranoid schizophrenia can make some people dangerous if the delusions they are having tell them to harm another person or harm themselves. But for the most part patients get the help they need before things become dangerous.

Many people diagnosed with this illness are in denial for a while and often feel ashamed. You have to support them and help guide them to the right help but without pushing them. The more you push the more likely it is that the person will retreat and begin to view you as a hostile enemy out to get them. - 31993

About the Author:

Far too often the term "schizophrenia" is tossed around without the user actually knowing what it means. It is a severely incapacitating mental illness that can leave the sufferer feeling isolated with paranoia. Even more frightening is that schizophrenia in children isn't uncommon. Click here to learn more about schizophrenia disorder.