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Unipolar and Bipolar
PSY/270
06/10/2014
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Unipolar and Bipolar
There are a variety of underlying issues that cause unipolar and bipolar disorder. Even though there is several treatment options for both conditions, Doctors don’t completely understand what causes them. It is believed that these mood disorders are hereditary and that lifestyles and environmental factors play an important role determining the severity.
Scientists have discovered a link between chemicals in the brain and depression. It’s suggested that if you have a lower serotonin and or norepinephrine level it can be an underlying cause for a mood disorder (Nauert, R. (2006).
To understand and diagnose unipolar and bipolar disorder correctly you must first understand what they are and what their symptoms are.
Unipolar is defined as a mental illness causing depressive episodes that can be both severe and debilitating. There is a huge difference between someone who is having a rough time and someone who is clinically depressed. To be diagnosed with unipolar disorder doctors must look at the symptoms that person displays, their risk factors and family history. The symptoms of unipolar include but are not limited to: inability to concentrate, apathetic behavior, irritability, withdrawal from social activities, suicidal
The Essay on Bipolar Disorder To Understand
... or even decades. Bipolar disorder involves cycles of mania and depression. Signs and symptoms of mania include ... are irritable, angry, frightened, uncontrollable, and trapped.' Bipolar disorder typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood ... manic-depressive disorder have at least one close relative with the illness or with unipolar major depression, ... To understand one's mind usually takes an ...
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thoughts and or disturbance in eating or sleeping patterns. Some people suffering from unipolar also experience masked depression. This is where the person appears to be fine on the outside. They might have a great deposition on the outside but really feeling depressed internally, or they might constantly complain of ailments, fatigue or aches and pains.
Bipolar disorder on the other hand is a different kind of mental disorder but still in the same depression family. People who suffer from bipolar disorder experience rapid cycling between moods over a short period of time. These cycles are called manic and mania. Mania symptoms are described as: restlessness, increased energy, high sex drive, unattainable or unrealistic goal setting, engaging in risky behavior, and feeling invincible. Manic symptoms are described as: sadness, anxiety, and constant need for sleep, difficulty with decision making, thoughts of death or suicide. Someone suffering from bipolar disorder displays both of these moods (manic and mania) usually in a very fast changing episodes. Like unipolar bipolar is diagnosed based on family history, risk factors and symptoms displayed.
There are a variety of underlying causes for developing bipolar and unipolar disorder. Again, it’s believed to be genetic so having a family member with the disorder increases someone’s chances for development. Another underlying cause might be
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environmental factors and influences or childhood precursors. For example poverty, abuse or substance abuse can lead to unipolar or even bipolar disorder. Life itself can also be an underlying cause. If someone experiences extreme stress or a traumatic event it can bring onset of mental disorders including unipolar and bipolar.
The good news is there are many treatment options for both unipolar and bipolar.
The Essay on Bipolar affective disorder
... history of major mood disorders. Another popular treatment for bipolar disorder is electro- convulsive ... unipolar and bipolar depressive spectrum disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders. 23: 231-237. Fawcett, Jan. (1994). Bipolar ... live with bipolar disorder; however, despite the abundance of people suffering from the ... psycomoter retardation, loss of energy, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, guilt, ...
The treatment regimen for unipolar depending on severity can include a daily prescription antidepressant. Generally, the antidepressant helps decrease a person’s feeling of sadness. The antidepressant can be prescribed with a mood stabilizing or antipsychotic drug also. Along with medication someone suffering from unipolar can receive treatment in the form of psychotherapy and support groups. These groups and counseling sessions give the person an outlet to express their feelings of sadness, anger or anxiety allowing them to feel better. Another treatment recommendation would be to change certain factors in your life style such as drinking, drug use and exercise. It’s proven that when the body feels better so does the mind.
Bipolar disorder treatment is the same route as unipolar. Usually a combination of antidepressants and mood stabilizing medications are prescribed to take daily. However, the risk for increased suicidal idealizations and behaviors does increase when someone with bipolar disorder is taking them. The person should be monitored closely by health care professions to ensure the symptoms do not get worse with the medication.
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Again, support groups and psychotherapy are also involved in the treatment plan for someone suffering from bipolar. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder it would be wise to also proactively participate in lifestyle changes such as avoid drinking and doing drugs.
While everyone at some point in their life has felt sad it usually is short-lived and goes away within a few days or even weeks. People suffering from unipolar and bipolar disorder struggle with these feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, recklessness, inability to make decisions and sadness every day. These feelings directly affect and impact their quality of life. While the exact cause of each are still not one hundred percent certain we have an idea of how they start. Through exploration and studies we have now figured how to diagnose it and more importantly correctly treat it.
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The Term Paper on Anxiety Disorder Disorders Treatment Therapy
The major Mental Disturbances and Abnormal Behaviours listed in the DSM-IV (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and their treatments are as follows: 1. Anxiety disorders It is the disorders characterized by anxiety and avoidance behaviour. Anxiety is a vague, general uneasiness or feeling that something bad is about to happen. It can be associated with a particular situation ...
References
Anderson, IM; Haddad, PM; Scott, J (Dec 27, 2012).
“Bipolar disorder.”. BMJ (Clinical research ed.)
[American Psychiatry (2013).
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental DisordersAmerican Psychiatric Associati. (5th ed. ed.).
Arlington: AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC PUBLISHING. pp. 123–154
McGuffin P, Rijsdijk F, Andrew M, Sham P, Katz R, Cardno A (2003).
“The Heritability of Bipolar Affective Disorder and the Genetic Relationship to Unipolar Depression”. Archives of General Psychiatry 60 (5): 497–502
http://psychecentral.com,Rick Nauert PhD, 2006
