Bipolar Disorder

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic-depressive illness, causes a pattern of up-and-down behaviors that can severely limit a person's moods, energy and ability to cope with daily life. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder must be carefully treated and managed. While it cannot be "cured," the right treatment can help its sufferers live full, normal lives. Some things to know:

• About 5.7 million adults aged 18 and older have bipolar disorder in any given year.
• Bipolar disorder usually develops in late adolescence or early adulthood, although intial symptoms can appear in childhood or later in life.
• Bipolar disorder often is not recognized, and some people can go for years before they get proper diagnosis and treatment.

Signs & symptoms

There two "poles" of bipolar disorder: mania and depression. Each has its own set of signs or symptoms.

Symptoms of mania include:

• High or excessive levels of energy and restlessness
• An excessively high or even euphoric mood
• Irritability
• Jumping from one thought, idea or activity to another
• Little need for sleep
• Poor judgment such as spending sprees or elaborate unachievable goals
• Increased sex drive
• Aggressive behavior
• Unwillingness to admit anything is wrong

Symptoms of depression include:

• Sadness, anxiety or an empty mood
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt or helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities, including sex
• Difficulty remembering or making decisions
• Chronic pain that is not caused by injury or illness
• Thoughts of suicide

In many people, bipolar disorder is a condition that gets worse with the passage of time. Sometimes that will mean that both the high and low ends of the disorder get longer or more intense. For others, symptoms may include intense hallucinations or beliefs that are not logical or are very unreasonable.

Who's at risk?

There is no single cause of bipolar disorder, but researchers are learning how a number of factors act together to produce the illness. Scientists have found through brain-imaging techniques that the brains of people with bipolar disorder may be different from the brains of other people. Bipolar disorder tends to run in families, but no one genetic cause can be identified as causing it.

Professional help

Because people with bipolar disorder can become dangerous to themselves and others, professional treatment is critical. Therapy is likely to last an extended period of time and will most often include medication and talk therapy to help resolve unreasonable thought patterns.

Priority Health members can check here for information on getting mental health assistance.

What you can do

Since people with bipolar disorder can be unreasonable or have illogical or unrealistic beliefs about themselves, it might be difficult to persuade someone who is showing symptoms of the illness to seek help. Even so, it's important to be supportive while strongly encouraging him or her to talk to a doctor or mental health professional.

Talk with a case manager

If you need extra help - perhaps because you are dealing with additional health risks - a Priority Health case manager will help you:

• Send you educational materials
• Work with your doctor if necessary
• Answer questions and offer support
  Contact a case manager now.