Sunday, February 22, 2009

What Bipolar Mania Is

By Ken P Doyle

Imagine your friend introduces you to a new member in you theater actors guild. In no time at all, she catches everyones attention with her energy and extraordinary cheeriness. After the nights practice has finished, your new found friend out of the blue invites you to go to the disco. You decide you can not go but give her your home number instead. Later that night, you awake to a call and here her sobbing on the phone. She is going on about how miserable her life is and how she just wants to end it right than and there. There is nobody that would want to be in this situation but what you have just read about is the reality of a brain disorder called bipolar mania or manic-depressive illness.

Bipolar Mania and What Its About

This bipolar mania is a biological disorder characterized by manic and depressive episodes. A person suffering from bipolar disorder displays symptoms of extreme exhilaration at one instant then severe depression the next, as described above. Particularly, the manic signs and symptoms involve amplified energy, disturbing behavior, poor judgment, nervousness, and a reduced need for sleep. On the other hand, the depressive state is known by feelings of hopelessness, intense grief, and a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities among others. The fact that is most frightening about bipolar mania is that an individual may resort to suicide if untreated.

Statistics have shown that bipolar mania is affecting a major number of individuals in the United States. Millions of her total population have been recorded to be affected with bipolar mania. Everybody wishes that it would not happen to themselves or their loved ones but if it somehow does, they must get ready with all the vital information especially on how to get the best hep available.

Bipolar Treatment Modalities

Bipolar mania can be treated through a combination of approaches even though it is a long term-challenge. Medical methods are one of them. Mood stabilizers are the medications available for this condition. The most common stabilizer is Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid) while others are prescribed with anticonvulsant medicines such as valproate (Depakote) or carbamazepine (Tegretol). Additionally, individuals who suffer from bipolar mania must also seek mental health professionals for emotional or behavioural psychotherapy. Psychosocial approaches are also taken to bipolar mania and are considered important to the recovery as it involves family therapy, psycho education, and interpersonal therapy.

Bipolar Support Groups

On the other hand, no medical or psychological approach is successful if its not used in conjunction with other methods. Joining bipolar support groups is an invaluable resource for an individual with bipolar mania. Bipolar support groups are very educational because various discussions about the disorder are made at length. More than the information though is the sharing of true-to-life experiences that makes the group relate well to each other.

Bipolar support groups offer a hospitable environment to bipolar sufferers so that they wont have to feel alone and alienated from the rest of the world. They also offer the opportunity to openly speak about their pains and hardships and at the same time gaining acceptance from others. The bipolar support group can brainstorm about local resources and acquiring government aid together.

Intelligent Prognosis

Its important that a person with bipolar mania can or can not cope with the disorder. The real question though is whether they get into a bipolar support group which will see them through the process. This is the real determinant which has treatment value. Individuals with bipolar mania are on their way to a fully-functioning life with the right kind of help from the right kind of people. - 15438

About the Author: