1. Bipolar

2. contents
I. Description
II. Causes
III. Types of symptoms
IV. Symptoms
V. Prevention
VI. Treatment

3. What is bipolar disorder?
“Bipolar disorder is a mental
disorder characterized by extreme
shifts in mood, as well as
fluctuations in energy and activity
levels. During these abnormal shifts,
the patient commonly finds it
difficult to complete everyday
tasks.”
– Medical News Today, 2012

4.  Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness.
 This is a serious mental illness that can destroy relationships,
undermine career prospects, and seriously affect academic
performance. Emotional shifts can become so overwhelming that
individuals may choose suicide.
 Bipolar disorder has nothing to do with the ups and downs we
all experience sometimes; it is much more severe, debilitating and
incapacitating. Fortunately, it is treatable, and with proper care and
the right medication patients can perform well at work and
academically and lead full, productive lives.
– Medical News Today, 2012

5. What are the causes?
“Genetics - some small twin
studies have indicated that there is
a "substantial genetic contribution"
to bipolar disorder risk. People with
a blood relative who has bipolar
disorder have a higher risk of
developing it themselves. Currently,
scientists are trying to identify
which genes are involved. “
– Medical News Today, 2012

6. What are the causes?
“Biological traits - experts say that
patients with bipolar disorder often
have physical changes that occurred
in their brains. Nobody is sure why
the changes can lead to the
disorder.“
– Medical News Today, 2012

7. What are the causes?
“Brain-chemical imbalance neurotransmitter imbalances play a
key role in many mood disorders,
including bipolar disorder, as well as
depression and other mental
illnesses. Neurotransmitters are
chemicals that facilitate the
communication between neurons
(brain cells).”
– Medical News Today, 2012

8. What are the causes?
“Hormonal problems - hormonal
imbalances are thought to possibly
trigger or cause bipolar disorder.”
– Medical News Today, 2012

9. What are the causes?
“Environmental factors - abuse,
mental stress, a "significant loss", or
some other traumatic event may
contribute towards bipolar disorder
risk. Traumatic events may include
the death of a loved one, losing
your job, the birth of a child, or
moving house.”
– Medical News Today, 2012

10. What are the types of symptoms?
Mania Symptoms
Mania symptoms may include excessive happiness,
excitement, irritability, restlessness, increased energy,
less need for sleep, racing thoughts, high sex drive, and
a tendency to make grand and unattainable plans.
Depression Symptoms
Depression symptoms may include sadness, anxiety,
irritability, loss of energy, uncontrollable crying, change
in appetite causing weight loss or gain, increased need
for sleep, difficulty making decisions, and thoughts of
death or suicide.
– WebMD

11. What are the symptoms?
Mood swings (Manic and Depressive)
 A mood swing is characterized by high
levels of positivity followed by high levels of
negativity and depression or vice versa.
– Activebeat, 2013

12. What are the symptoms?
Euphoria (Manic)
 Sufferers experience a heightened level of
happiness and a sense of accomplishment.
– Activebeat, 2013

13. What are the symptoms?
Rapid Speech (Manic)
 Patients will suddenly begin speaking
extremely quickly for long periods of time.
– Activebeat, 2013

14. What are the symptoms?
Racing Thoughts (Manic)
 Individuals will have a difficult time focusing
on one thing and will tend to overanalyze their
thoughts.
– Activebeat, 2013

15. What are the symptoms?
Irritation (Manic and Depressive)
 Sufferers are easily irritated by situations
they normally wouldn’t be agitated with.
– Activebeat, 2013

16. What are the symptoms?
Increased Physical Activity (Manic)
 When a person is experiencing a manic episode they
will often have extremely high levels of energy. To help
relieve the energy, sufferers often turn to physical
activity. If someone suddenly feels the need to exercise
excessively to exert energy, it may be an indication of a
problem.
– Activebeat, 2013

17. What are the symptoms?
Careless use of drugs and alcohol (Manic)
 Sometimes, people suffering from bipolar disorder
will turn to drugs and alcohol. Careless use of these
substances may be a warning sign of deeper issues.
– Activebeat, 2013

18. What are the symptoms?
Decreased need for sleep (Manic)
 As previously noted, manic episodes often involve
large bursts of energy and euphoria. These symptoms
can make it incredibly difficult to sleep. An individual
experiencing this symptom will require less sleep but
won’t necessarily feel tired or exhausted.
– Activebeat, 2013

19. What are the symptoms?
Missed Work (Manic and Depressive)
 A common symptom of bipolar disorder is the
inability to maintain a schedule. For this reason, many
bipolar sufferers will often miss work (or school or other
commitments).
– Activebeat, 2013

20. What are the symptoms?
Fatigue (Depressive)
 Contrary to manic symptoms, individuals suffering
from a depressive episode will experience extreme
tiredness and fatigue. Wanting to go to bed, staying in
bed late and a lack of motivation throughout the day are
all signs of bipolar disorder.
– Activebeat, 2013

21. What are the symptoms?
Chronic pain (Depressive)
 Individuals experiencing other symptoms on the list,
along with chronic pain with no known cause, may be
suffering from bipolar disorder. This pain can present
itself throughout many parts of the body including, but
not limited to, severe headaches.
– Activebeat, 2013

22. What are the symptoms?
Sadness/Hopelessness (Depressive)
 Individuals will fall into a state of depression and will
have noticeably different symptoms than those related
to a manic episode (where individuals experience a
heightened sense of happiness and euphoria).
– Activebeat, 2013

23. What are the symptoms?
Suicidal thoughts (Depressive)
 In extreme cases, they will develop suicidal thoughts
and act in a suicidal manner. If these symptoms present
themselves, seek medical or professional attention
immediately.
– Activebeat, 2013

24. How to prevent bipolar Disorder?
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Eat balanced diet
Exercise daily
Avoid extensive travel into other time zones.
Get approximately the same number of hours
of sleep every night.
Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs.
Reduce stress at work and at home.
Limit caffeine and nicotine during manic episodes.
Seek treatment as soon as you notice symptoms of a
depressive or manic episode coming on.
– WedMD

25. What are the treatments?
Don’t skip meds
 Lithium is a commonly used drug, but it requires
monitoring with blood tests to make sure the dose is
correct, as higher levels can be toxic.
– Health.com

26. What are the treatments?
Get the right amount of sleep
 Irregular sleep patterns can precipitate a manic or
depressive episode.
– Health.com

27. What are the treatments?
Use therapy too
 Some patients, if their mood is stabilized, see a
psychiatrist only every month or two. But doctors
recommend more regular therapy, typically cognitive
behavioral therapy, which can help people get on a
good schedule and understand and interpret events and
thoughts.
– Health.com

28. What are the treatments?
Connect with others
 Try to strike a balance in your
social life. Overstimulation can
be
stressful
and
trigger
problems, but so can isolation.
– Health.com

29. What are the treatments?
Find support
 Let your family and friends know what you are going
through. They might be able to understand your triggers and
help you avoid them, or may be able to realize before you do
that you’re entering a manic or depressive episode.
– Health.com

30. What are the treatments?
Steer clear of alcohol and
drugs
 Although you might feel
alcohol helps you cope with
depression, it may actually
be contributing to sleep
disturbances and mood
changes.
– Health.com

31. What are the treatments?
Combat weight gain
 Studies show that regular exercise can help improve mood
whether or not you have bipolar disorder. And, a good meal plan
can help you feel better and give you the nutrients you need.
– WedMD

32. Thank you for listening!