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Bipolar mood disorder is a mental illness characterized by extreme mood swings from depression to mania. About 1% of Australians experience bipolar disorder, which is caused by genetic and biochemical factors. Symptoms include periods of extreme low mood and loss of interest alternating with periods of elevated mood, increased energy, and impulsivity. Effective treatment involves medication and psychotherapy to manage mood swings. Lifestyle changes and social support can also help those with bipolar disorder live full lives.
Bipolar mood disorder is a mental illness characterized by extreme mood swings from depression to mania. About 1% of Australians experience bipolar disorder, which is caused by genetic and biochemical factors. Symptoms include periods of extreme low mood and loss of interest alternating with periods of elevated mood, increased energy, and impulsivity. Effective treatment involves medication and psychotherapy to manage mood swings. Lifestyle changes and social support can also help those with bipolar disorder live full lives.
Bipolar mood disorder is a mental illness characterized by extreme mood swings from depression to mania. About 1% of Australians experience bipolar disorder, which is caused by genetic and biochemical factors. Symptoms include periods of extreme low mood and loss of interest alternating with periods of elevated mood, increased energy, and impulsivity. Effective treatment involves medication and psychotherapy to manage mood swings. Lifestyle changes and social support can also help those with bipolar disorder live full lives.
What is bipolar What are the mood disorder? symptoms of bipolar Bipolar mood disorder is a form of mood disorder? depressive disorder that used to be called manic depressive illness. Depression Depression is the main mood People with bipolar mood disorder disturbance for most people with experience extreme mood swings bipolar disorder and is evident by: - from depression and sadness to elation and excitement. The mood • Loss of interest and pleasure in swings tend to recur, can vary activities enjoyed before. from mild to severe, and can be of • Overwhelming sadness. different duration. • Withdrawing from friends and Bipolar mood disorder affects avoiding social activities. about one percent of the Australian • Ceasing self-care tasks like shopping population, and severe disorder is and showering. experienced by about one in 200 people at any given time. • Changes to appetite and sleep patterns. Early recognition and effective early • Lack of concentration, extreme treatment is vital to the future well- tiredness, and feelings of guilt or being of people with bipolar mood worthlessness. disorder. With effective treatment, people can live full and productive • Development of false beliefs lives. (delusions) of persecution or guilt for some people. Harmful alcohol and other drug use often co-occurs with symptoms of depression. This makes treatment more complex, • Rapid thinking and speech - so that effectively managing alcohol thoughts are more rapid than and other drug use is important. usual. This can lead to the person speaking quickly and jumping from Risk of suicide is heightened for topic to topic. people experiencing depression. • Recklessness - this can be the result For more information on depression, of the person’s reduced ability to read the brochure: foresee the consequences of their What is a depressive disorder? actions, such as spending large Mania amounts of money buying items The term ‘mania’ is used to describe that are not really needed. the most severe state of extreme • Grandiose plans and beliefs - it is elation and overactivity. A small common for people experiencing number of people with bipolar mood mania to believe they are unusually disorder experience only episodes talented or gifted, or are kings, of mania and do not experience film stars or prime ministers for depressive episodes. example. Often religious beliefs Common symptoms of mania include intensify or people believe they are varying degrees of the following. an important religious figure.
• Elevated mood - the person feels • Lack of insight - people
extremely high, elated, and full of experiencing mania may not energy. The experience is often recognise that their behaviour is described as feeling on top of the inappropriate, although they may world and invincible. understand that other people see their ideas and actions as • Increased energy and over-activity. inappropriate, reckless, or irrational. • Reduced need for sleep. • Mania is diagnosed when • Irritability - the person may get symptoms have been present for angry and irritable with people who a week or more. Hypomania is disagree or dismiss their sometimes less severe and may have shorter unrealistic plans or ideas. duration. Normal moods mood disorder, strongly suggest that the illness is genetically transmitted. Most people who have episodes of Children of parents with the disorder mania and depression experience have a greater risk of developing it. normal moods in between. They are able to live their lives productively Biochemical factors and manage home and work Mania, like depression, is thought commitments. to be due, in part, to a chemical It is when moods become extreme imbalance in the brain. This can be and interfere with a person’s life treated with medication. that assessment and treatment for mental illness becomes necessary. Stress Stress may play a part in triggering symptoms, but not always. What causes bipolar Sometimes the illness itself may mood disorder? cause the stressful events (such as divorce or a failed business), which Men and women have an equal may then be blamed for the illness. chance of developing this mental illness. It most commonly appears when people are in their twenties but may occur earlier or later in life. What treatment is It is believed that bipolar mood available? disorder is caused by a combination Effective treatments are available for of factors including genetics, bipolar mood disorder. Education biochemistry, and environmental about the illness and learning to factors. recognise early warning signs of an Genetic factors episode and how to take preventive action is important. Peer support can Studies of close relations, such as be particularly helpful in this way. identical twins and adopted children whose natural parents have bipolar Specific medications help to manage Psychological interventions can mood swings. be an important component of treatment. Therapies, such as For the depressive phase of this cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), illness, anti-depressant medications are aimed at changing patterns of can relieve depressed feelings, restore thinking, behaviours, and beliefs that normal sleep patterns and appetite, contribute to the illness. and reduce anxiety. Anti-depressant medications are not addictive. Interpersonal therapies help people They slowly return the balance of to learn new ways to relate to neurotransmitters in the brain, taking important people in their lives. one to four weeks to achieve their When people are in a manic episode, positive effects. it can be difficult to persuade them During acute or severe episodes of that they need treatment. It is mania, several different medications sometimes necessary for a person are used. Some are used to calm the to be hospitalised if symptoms are person’s manic excitement; others severe. help stabilise the person’s mood. Many people are never hospitalised Some medications are also used and their health care is delivered as preventive measures as they entirely in the community. help to control mood swings and With access to appropriate reduce the frequency and severity of treatment and support, people with depressive and manic phases. Long- bipolar mood disorder live full and term medication may be required to productive lives. prevent recurrent episodes. The family and friends of people with Lifestyle changes, such as physical bipolar mood disorder can often feel exercise and reducing harmful alcohol confused and distressed. Support and other drug use and other triggers and education, as well as better of episodes, can assist people to community understanding, are an recover. important part of treatment. Where to go for help About this brochure • Your general practitioner. This brochure is part of a series on mental illness funded by the Australian • Your community health centre. Government under the National • Your community mental health Mental Health Strategy. centre. Other brochures in this series include: For information on services, check • What is mental illness? the Community Help and Welfare Services and 24-hour emergency • What is an anxiety disorder? numbers in your local telephone • What is a depressive disorder? directory. • What is an eating disorder? For immediate counselling assistance, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Lifeline • What is a personality disorder? can also supply you with contacts, • What is schizophrenia? further information and help. __________________ Free copies of all brochures are More information is available at: ____________________ available from Mental Health and _______________ Workforce Division of the Australian www.beyondblue.org.au Government Department of Health www.blackdoginstitute.org.au and Ageing: www.ranzcp.org GPO Box 9848 www.sane.org CANBERRA ACT 2601 ___________ Tel 1800 066 247 ___________ Fax 1800 634 400 www.health.gov.au/mentalhealth This brochure is no longer available in hardcopy