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DBSA-Attleboro provides support groups for people diagnosed with either bipolar disorder or clinical depression. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), our parent organization, reports that bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) is a treatable illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior. It is not a character flaw or a sign of personal weakness. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression because a person’s mood can alternate between the "poles" mania (highs) and depression (lows). This change in mood or "mood swing" can last for hours, days weeks or months.
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder differs significantly from clinical depression, although the symptoms for the depressive phase of the illness are similar. Most people who have bipolar disorder talk about experiencing "highs" and "lows" – the highs are periods of mania, the lows periods of depression. These swings can be severe, ranging from extreme energy to deep despair. The severity of the mood swings and the way they disrupt normal life activities distinguish bipolar mood episodes from ordinary mood changes.
Symptoms of the High or Manic Phase of Bipolar Disorder
- Increased physical and mental activity and energy
- Heightened mood, exaggerated optimism and self-confidence
- Excessive irritability, aggressive behavior
- Decreased need for sleep without experiencing fatigue
- Grandiose delusions, inflated sense of self-importance
- Racing speech, racing thoughts, flight of ideas
- Impulsiveness, poor judgment, distractibility
- Reckless behavior
- In the most severe cases, delusions and hallucinations
Symptoms of the Low or Depressive Phase of Bipolar Disorder
- Prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells
- Significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns
- Irritability, anger, worry, agitation, anxiety
- Pessimism, indifference
- Loss of energy, persistent lethargy
- Low self esteem
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness
- Inability to concentrate, indecisiveness
- Inability to take pleasure in former interests, social withdrawal
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Sense of impending doom or disaster
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
The following information on types of bipolar disorder is from the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Patterns and severity of symptoms, or episodes, of highs and lows, determine different types of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar I disorder is characterized by one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes (symptoms of both a mania and a depression occurring nearly every day for at least 1 week) and one or more major depressive episodes. Bipolar I disorder is the most severe form of the illness marked by extreme manic episodes.
Bipolar II disorder is characterized by one or more depressive episodes accompanied by at least one hypomanic episode. Hypomanic episodes have symptoms similar to manic episodes but are less severe, but must be clearly different from a person’s non-depressed mood. For some, hypomanic episodes are not severe enough to cause notable problems in social activities or work. However, for others, they can be troublesome.
Cyclothymic disorder is characterized by chronic fluctuating moods involving periods of hypomania and depression. The periods of both depressive and hypomanic symptoms are shorter, less severe, and do not occur with regularity as experienced with bipolar II or I. However, these mood swings can impair social interactions and work. Many, but not all, people with cyclothymia develop a more severe form of bipolar illness.
There is also a form of the illness called bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) that does not fit in to one of the above definitions.
Key Facts About Bipolar Disorder- According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, bipolar disorder affects 2.5 million adult Americans sometime during their lifetime.
- While people can be afflicted anytime during their lifetime, a typical age of onset for bipolar disorder is in the range of 18 to 22 years. Many of our group members believe they exhibited symptoms at even earlier ages.
- Bipolar disorder is one of the most treatable mental illnesses, with proven treatment strategies available for people afflicted with the illness. When properly treated, 90 percent of people with mood disorders can be helped.
- Two out of three people with mood disorders do not get proper treatment because their symptoms are not recognized, blamed on personal weakness, or misdiagnosed.
- On average, people with bipolar disorder see 3.3 doctors before receiving a correct diagnosis
- On average, it takes eight years to be correctly diagnosed for bipolar disorder.
- Fifteen to twenty percent of people with untreated bipolar disorder commit suicide.
- Many bipolar members of DBSA-Attleboro employ a mix of proper medication, good therapy, and peer support and education to manage their bipolar illness.
- Medication regimes can vary widely, and many of our members take a combination of meds to treat their disorder.
- Mood stabilizers such as Lithium, Depakote, or Tegretol are typically used to smooth out the highs and lows and achieve greater mood stability. Newer mood stabilizers include Neurontin and Lamictal.
- Anti-mania or anti-psychotic drugs are often used to control manic or psychotic tendencies. Newer meds in this category range from Zyprexa, Seroquel, and Risperidol, to Geodon and Abilify.
- While depressive episodes can be a feature of bipolar disorder, many of our bipolar members cannot tolerate conventional anti-depressants such as the SSRIs (Proxac, Zoloft, Paxal) or Effexor due to their risk of precipitating a manic episode. A number of bipolar folks are now using Wellbutrin to treat depressive episodes due to its differing anti-depressant action, short half-life, and therefore theoretically better manageability if it precipitates a hypomanic episode.
- Alternative medications, such as Omega-3 fatty acids, have also shown promise for treatment of bipolar disorder.
Take a confidential screening for bipolar disorder on the DBSA web site
or send us an e-mail !
