People with bipolar disorder and their loved ones have basically been told that the disorder is one of a chemical imbalance of the brain and/or a mood disorder characterized by extreme mood swings. However, bipolar disorder really is much more than that.
First of all, bipolar disorder is historical. Its roots go back as far as the second century A.D., when a man named Aretaeus first recognized manic and depressive symptoms and believed that they were linked.
The disorder is not just mental, since it has to do with your mind, but is physiological as well, because it has to do with your body.
Since part of it is associated with your brain, bipolar disorder can also be considered a neurological problem; however, it is usually termed merely "physical," and referred to simply as a "chemical imbalance of the brain."
Believing that bipolar disorder has biological roots, scientists are currently studying genes they think may cause the disorder. If they find the specific gene or genes that are linked to the disorder, they will be steps away from a cure. Of course, there is great debate in the scientific community about the validity of this research, and there is quite a long way to go before a cure can be found.
Don't be surprised if your doctor tells you there is a medical element to your bipolar disorder, as well. When you are in a bipolar depressive episode, there is an increased risk of physical symptoms like backaches, headaches, body aches, stomach pains, etc.
Psychiatrists, of course, confirm that bipolar disorder is a psychiatric illness. The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) was probably what your psychiatrist used to diagnose you with the disorder in the first place.
Bipolar disorder is also hereditary, as many studies have shown. It is passed down through the family.
As anyone with the disorder will tell you, bipolar disorder is definitely an emotional disorder. Your moods can swing from depression to mania and back again, without you having any control over them. In addition, emotional "side effects" of the disorder can include stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
As with many disorders, bipolar disorder has a very personal element to it, as well. Because there is such a stigma in our current society against mental illness, many people with bipolar disorder choose to keep the truth of their disorder to themselves. It becomes an intensely personal thing, and they may not tell others they even suffer from the disorder.
Bipolar disorder is truly more than a chemical imbalance of the brain or a mere mood disorder. It is both of these things - and more.
First of all, bipolar disorder is historical. Its roots go back as far as the second century A.D., when a man named Aretaeus first recognized manic and depressive symptoms and believed that they were linked.
The disorder is not just mental, since it has to do with your mind, but is physiological as well, because it has to do with your body.
Since part of it is associated with your brain, bipolar disorder can also be considered a neurological problem; however, it is usually termed merely "physical," and referred to simply as a "chemical imbalance of the brain."
Believing that bipolar disorder has biological roots, scientists are currently studying genes they think may cause the disorder. If they find the specific gene or genes that are linked to the disorder, they will be steps away from a cure. Of course, there is great debate in the scientific community about the validity of this research, and there is quite a long way to go before a cure can be found.
Don't be surprised if your doctor tells you there is a medical element to your bipolar disorder, as well. When you are in a bipolar depressive episode, there is an increased risk of physical symptoms like backaches, headaches, body aches, stomach pains, etc.
Psychiatrists, of course, confirm that bipolar disorder is a psychiatric illness. The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) was probably what your psychiatrist used to diagnose you with the disorder in the first place.
Bipolar disorder is also hereditary, as many studies have shown. It is passed down through the family.
As anyone with the disorder will tell you, bipolar disorder is definitely an emotional disorder. Your moods can swing from depression to mania and back again, without you having any control over them. In addition, emotional "side effects" of the disorder can include stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
As with many disorders, bipolar disorder has a very personal element to it, as well. Because there is such a stigma in our current society against mental illness, many people with bipolar disorder choose to keep the truth of their disorder to themselves. It becomes an intensely personal thing, and they may not tell others they even suffer from the disorder.
Bipolar disorder is truly more than a chemical imbalance of the brain or a mere mood disorder. It is both of these things - and more.
About the Author:
David Oliver has the top website for bipolar disorder information, symptoms, causes, medications and treatments.
No comments:
Post a Comment