what dose bipolar mean?
829753
I'd like remark about the comment "I have know 2 people who are bipolar, both who treat the disorder with Ritalin."  I have Bipolar and A.D.D. I take a separate med for the Bipolar (Lamictal) I LOVE IT!!  I take Medadate cd for my A.D.D. which is equivalent to Ritalin.  Not sure how the people you know with Bipolar are doing but I would think that when they go into their High Manic state they could harm themselves or someone else.  I know that until I was treated my Highs were pure RAGE so I can only imagine what could have happened if I were taking an amphetamine alone.\n\nWhat is Bipolar Disorder?\n\nThe exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown.\n\nBipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) is a serious, lifelong medical condition. It affects more than 2 million people in the United States. \n\n It’s a medical condition. Bipolar disorder may be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain, genetics, or abnormalities in brain structure. \n\nPeople with bipolar disorder can have mood swings, including depression (extreme lows) and mania (extreme highs). \n\nA period of depression or mania is called an episode. Individuals may experience episodes of depression or mania throughout life. \n\nEpisodes may be separated by long periods with few or no symptoms. To help keep bipolar disorder under control, medication is often taken even when few or no symptoms are present.
1182030
Manic Depressive is the old, outdated term for Bipolar Disorder.  As long as a sufferer faithfully stays on his/her meds and checks in with the doc anytime things start getting a bit twisted, they're not all that hard to live with.  But then, I've got forty-plus years professional training and experience workin' with 'em.  Others may feel differenly.
41881
bipolar changes are more frequent
280532
There is no exact answer, but in the vast majority of cases, Medication is required. Generally, if someone is truly diagnosed as bipolar from a professional, their prognosis (ability to deal with it) is much worse without medication. Most need to take medication for life, some eventually (after some experience) learn to deal without it.\n\nThe most important thing to remember with medication is that it is not an end all, but a first step (with bi-polar, a mandatory first step). Medication should be used as a way to stabalize you so that you are in the right mindset to be open to psychotherapy. It's like being drunk; a drunk cannot be reasoned with nor make themselves open to growth. If you want to really help someone who is drunk, you must wait until they are sober to have any kind of good effect. Medication (with the right dosage/type) helps someone with a mental disorder sober up so that they are ready to receive help and grow.
748996
I have been bipolar for 10 years now. There's alot of info on bipolar,but I will tell you what I know. Bipolar is an embalance in the brain. One minute your happy and nothing can get you down. It's like your high. Then the next minute your so depressed that your crying all the time thinking your worthless and nothing is going to get better and your better off dead. There are alot of good meds out there today for people with this problem, and they help. If you stay on them. Hope this helps.
912987
No.  If you were in mania, you would be hyper and unable to sleep, and fully functioning on an abnormally low amount of sleep.  some people with depression sleep very long hours or spend a lot of time in bed staring at the ceiling.  Some people with depression have insomnia.  \n Sleep is not a reliable indicator of bipolar disorder.   Mood swings, reckless behavior, delusions, walking and talking faster than normal, having more energy than usual are typical symptoms of the mania phase of bipolar.
1127360
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression.\nSigns and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:\n\n    * Increased energy, activity, and restlessness\n    * Excessively "high," overly good, euphoric mood\n    * Extreme irritability\n    * Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another\n    * Distractibility, can't concentrate well\n    * Little sleep needed\n    * Unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities and powers\n    * Poor judgment\n    * Spending sprees\n    * A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual\n    * Increased sexual drive\n    * Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications\n    * Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior\n    * Denial that anything is wrong\n\nA manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.\nSigns and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:\n\n    * Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood\n    * Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism\n    * Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness\n    * Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex\n    * Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being "slowed down"\n    * Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions\n    * Restlessness or irritability\n    * Sleeping too much, or can't sleep\n    * Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain\n    * Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury\n    * Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts\n\nA depressive episode is diagnosed if five or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.
885518
Medication is the only answer. Bipolar Disorder is a serious mental illness and untreated, it will only get worse and carries a 20-25% suicide risk.\n\nYou need to see a doctor if you have not already been diagnosed.
1058157
hullo\ncyclothymia is mood swings between mania and depression.\n\nDr.solo
1148499
I think you mean Manic  . Manic means lose control of his/her temper suddenly. But he /she will become normal immediately. This special   behavior will make others uneasy if not frightened . Some manics yell furiously when they are cheated or angry.So these people have fewer friends than normal people. In fact  they are not that horrible .When they are normal and calm they are honest and lovely people.  Anyway for the sake of themselves and everyone around them  such as friends neighbours and colleagues .They need to see psychiatrist for sure.
972972
uh...perhaps you need to look up the definition of bipolar. cause honey...that's part of the illness.\n\nthere are two types. bipolar type 1 and bipolar type 2.\n\nBipolar Disorder Type I. Bipolar disorder type I is characterized by at least one manic episode, with or without major depression. With mania, either euphoria or irritability may mark the phase, and there are significant negative effects (such as sexual recklessness, excessive impulse shopping, sudden traveling) on a patients' social life, work, or both. Untreated mania lasts at least a week or results in hospitalization. Typically, depressive episodes tend to last six to 12 months if untreated. However, untreated manic episodes last three to six months. \n\n\nBipolar Disorder Type II. Bipolar disorder type II is characterized by at least one episode of hypomania and at least one episode of major depression. With hypomania the symptoms of mania (euphoria or irritability) appear in milder forms and are of shorter duration. They do not affect social or work life as dramatically, and hospitalization is not generally required. \n\nmy advise....date mentally stable women!
246734
The technical term is Bi-polar Disorder, either type I, II, or NOS (non specific). You need to be formally diagnosed by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist through your insurance provider.\n\nTreatment: Depends on the severity of mood swings, mania, depression. Treatment may include medication and/or therapy.\n\nYou can look for the formal diagnostic criteria of Bi-Polar, by searching for the "DSM-IV" manual on the internet or checking it out from a library.
1032768
Being a severe bipolar myself - It one of the most interesting, but one of most terrible disease to live with!\nUnless people are considerate enough to research it they will never understand it!\nEven understanding SOME of it - It cannot be controlled. Medication helps with SOME stability, but being bipolar the medication being immuned very quickly.\nShe is doing great by taking care of herself, eating right, hygiene, etc.\nWith bipolar it is a mood that can come and go throughout the Moment, Day, or situation!\nPlease don't take too much upon yourself as it is a draining condition - especially from the person with it!\nBut I must Tell You Thank you for being understanding. It's very rare that people are there for ones like this! It is so trying! People cannot handle it - They want to deny it exists...\nMy grown children went through heck when I raised them (I didn't have a diagnosis's then)\nNow, they also live in other states, when we have contact they only want to, can only handle that I'M FINE, I'M DOING WELL - we don't discuss who I really am or what I'm going through!\nWhen I am out of sorts, I say I don't feel well! Some know what I'm talking about, most don't care = I don't care that they care or not!\nI've learned to accept this is who I am, I do my best to maintain!\nIf you'd like to keep in contact please email me!\nAgain, thank you for being someone who's taking the time to understand the disease!
74441
The word "bipolar" is a psychiatric label used to categorise a variety of psychological traits, fundamentally characterised by the alternation of manic and depressive states (severe mood swings).\n\nDespite psychiatric and pharmaceutical company claims, there is no scientific proof that "bipolar" or any other mental disorder is rooted in one's biology, a "chemical imbalance" or some form of brain abnormality.\n\n"For a disease to exist there must be a tangible, objective physical abnormality that can be determined by a test such as, but not limited to, blood or urine test, X-Ray, brain scan or biopsy. All reputable doctors would agree: No physical abnormality, no disease. In psychiatry, no test or brain scan exists to prove that a 'mental disorder' is a physical disease. Disingenuous comparisons between physical and mental illness and medicine are simply part of psychiatry's orchestrated but fraudulent public relations and marketing campaign." Fred Baughman, MD., Neurologist & Pediatric Neurologist.\n\nIf you choose to accept psychiatry's system of beliefs that "bipolar" is a "disease", and that you are "ill" and require "medical treatment", then by all means go the psych route and remove yourself of any responsibility for handling your own condition. Visit http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-md02.html for the full criteria of psychiatry's "bipolar I disorder").\n\nHowever, if you choose not to accept Psychiatry's junkscience, and would like to seek alternative handlings for extreme mood swings, check out:\n\n- http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/default.htm#B\n\n- http://www.truehope.com\n\n- http://www.gsdl.com/home/assessments/finddisease/depression/\n\nThrough Psychiatry's stigmatizing labels, easy-seizure commitment laws and often brutal depersonalizing "treatments" thousands needlessly fall into a coercive psychiatric system which denies the most basic of human rights.\n\nRespect is given for medicine, practiced as medicine, in a spirit of honest and ethical endeavor, and with due consideration to primacy of the patient's needs and health. However, there is every argument with the seduction and contamination of medicine by psychiatrists whose totally unscientific and fraudulent contributions threaten to pervert not only the position, honor, humanity and value of medicine, but to wreck the lives of millions of patients who simply come looking for help.
490571
Go to the library.  There are alot of books that will go into details of both.  Bipolar two is mostly depression rather than manic.  Also try this... www.bipolar.com  Hope that helps!
285314
Bipolar disorder, often referred to colloquially as manic depression, is a diagnosis describing a mood disorder where person cycles between states of depression and mania (or hypomania). Mood swings occur significantly enough to interfere with an individual's ability to function on a daily basis. The majority of people diagnosed with bipolar suffer largely from depression. Bipolar depression is believed to affect approximately 1% of the general population and 10% of people suffering from depression.\n\nEmil Kraepelin (1856-1926), a German psychiatrist who first proposed the existence of an illness he coined "manic depression", noted in his original description that intervals of acute illness, manic or depressive, were generally punctuated by relatively symptom-free intervals in which a patient was able to function normally.\n\nTo that point, there are currently three types of bipolar disorder outlined by the DSM-IV-TR and generally accepted within the medical community: Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymia. Like many disorders involving brain chemistry, bipolar disorder is still under investigation, and symptoms may differ significantly from person to person. Typically, symptoms include periods of euphoria, which alternate with periods of profound depression. In most cases, periods of mood stability complement these periods of instability.
430132
Yes I do, my mother was diagnosed with both. What do you want to know about them, need more info.\n\nEmotional highs and lows are part of life for everyone. But for someone with bipolar disorder, these ups and downs can be so extreme they can interfere with daily life. Sometimes they can even be dangerous.\n\nBorderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that causes unstable emotions, impulsiveness, relationship problems, and an unstable self-image. People with the disorder often behave self-destructively, have problems managing anger, and have an intense fear of being rejected and left alone (abandoned). They often also struggle with other conditions such as depression, eating disorders, or substance abuse problems.