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Your Online Guide » Common Illness » Bipolar Disorder

[S1204]Symptoms For Bipolar Disorder
by Charlotte Hargreaves, Cha
Prozac is a medication often prescribed for bipolar disorder, bulimia, and other anxiety disorders. The medication is highly effective because it acts as a serotonin inhibitor, which means that it helps balance the serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin levels are responsible for mood stability, depressive states, and control of anxiety, fears, and phobias.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental illness that is caused by a combination of biological, neurological, emotional, and situational factors. The real causes of bipolar disorder are not yet fully understood. It is understood, however, that imbalances in the neurotransmitters of the brain, such as serotonin, are partially responsible for the predisposition of bipolar disorder in some patients.

Bulimia is an eating disorder in which the patient eats excessively and then purges themselves of the food they have recently eaten either through vomiting or induced bowel movements. Bulimia is caused by a number of psychological and emotional factors, and in some cases even environmental factors. The emotional factors relating to bulimia are very similar to factors involved with bipolar disorder and low self esteem issues, which are connected to serotonin levels in the brain.

Anxiety disorders are thought to be caused by abnormal fluctuations in brain chemistry. Anxiety is defined as the intense and somewhat debilitating feeling that something bad is going to happen. Everyone feels anxiety at some point, but the normal person usually has a logical reason for it. With bipolar disorder, the reason for the anxiety may not be known, or it may not be logical even when it is known.

Prozac is a very potent treatment for bipolar disorder, bulimia, and anxiety because it controls and balances the serotonin levels in the brain. In bipolar patients, it is often prescribed in conjunction with other medications. Prozac is an effective treatment for depression, but can cause manic episodes to exacerbate. For this reason, Prozac is generally prescribed along with an anti-psychotic drug that helps moderate manic episodes. Therapy sessions and counseling is another part of the treatment.

In bulimia patients, Prozac is generally the only prescription given. However, it is used in combination with treatment of symptoms by counseling and therapy. The idea behind this counseling is to determine why the patient has developed a sense of low self-worth, and to allow the patient to learn that what they recognise is not necessarily reality. This is very helpful in bulimia patients who binge and purge as a development of how they perceive their bodies.

Bipolar disorder patients are often prescribed Prozac with great success. Counseling may also be used as a part of the treatment. In therapy sessions, patients may be taught techniques to control their anxiety through rationalization of situations that may not at first appear rational. For example, if a patient feels anxiety over a cigarette burning in an ashtray, they can learn techniques to allow their mind to rationalize the situation and recognise that there is no real danger of fire, and consequently no reason for the anxiety. These techniques are very efficacious in conjunction with Prozac for treating bipolar disorder.

Overall, Prozac is a very impressive treatment for many types of mood disorder. Along with Lithium, it is often thought to be a miracle drug, to help patients gain stability and normal lives while living with a changeable, unrealistic view of themselves or their surroundings.

Bipolar disorder results when there is a chemical imbalance in the brain. When neurotransmitters are not at the levels they should be, those prone to this condition will very likely suffer a wide variety of symptoms. The disorder itself is characterized by sharp, and sometimes frightening, mood swings.

A person suffering from bipolar disorder will generally go through very high highs, or manic phases, and very low, lows, or depressive states. As the pendulum swings, so too will the moods. The different phases of bipolar disorder can also appear at once in a middle-of-the-road presentation.

The dangers of this disorder are many. During manic phases, for example, a person might take greater risks than normal, make extremely poor choices and deprive themselves of sleep, as well, sometimes for days on end. In the midst of a depressive phase, serious symptoms may arise. The risk of suicide is higher for those with untreated bipolar disorder, as well.

Determining if a person has bipolar disorder can be a tricky undertaking. This is especially complicated by the mood swings. When these swings and their symptoms are noticed, however, there is likely a cause for concern.

Look for these things during a high swing:

* Increased self-importance or overestimation of talents and abilities.

* A reduced need for rest. Some people with the disorder have been known to go for days at a time without sleep.

* Hyperactive speech patterns, i.e., talking too much, too loudly and too rapidly.

* Increased desire to take risks. Manic phase often presents with patients taking on mass amounts of debt, doing drugs, having casual sex where they wouldn't have before and so on.

* Racing thoughts, restlessness. During the manic phase, it can be impossible for a person to slow down or even stick to one topic or activity.

During a depressed state, a manic-depressive might display these symptoms:

* Difficulty concentrating.

* Appetite changes that might include weight loss or gain.

* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and hopelessness.

* Thoughts of death or suicide.

* Lack of interest in hobbies, activities or even work.

A person suffering from true bipolar disorder will experience swings between the two phases. If the symptoms are present and noticeable, medical help might be required. Although the visible symptoms of this condition are psychological, the fact is the disorder is biological of nature. While it cannot be cured, there are ways to control it. Brining the symptoms into check can help a person lead a normal life and go about daily activities with little no trouble.

Getting help for bipolar disorder is imperative to prevent the more serious complications of this condition. From the risk-taking of the manic swings to the suicidal tendencies of the depressive episodes, there are dangers riddled throughout this condition. Management and control can greatly reduce the risks.

Article Source : Pg. 5

About Author
Both Charlotte Hargreaves & Samantha Kay are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Charlotte Hargreaves has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Bipolar Disorder and Finances. Mark is a life long depression sufferer and maintains a site devoted to the understanding and treatment of depression in all it's many forms. Visit his site for more information at http://www.overcome-depression.com. Charlotte Hargreaves's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.

Samantha Kay has sinced written about articles on various topics from Allergies, Bathroom Home Improvement and Family Concerns. For more information on bipolar, try visiting http://www.bipolardetails.com - a website that specializes in providing bipolar related tips and resources to include information on. Samantha Kay's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
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