One focus of brain research has been to identify and integrate traditional medical and psychiatric knowledge with new psychobiological and "psychoneuroimmunologic" data.

Researchers in the field of psychobiology study the biologic basis of disturbances and have established some relationships between mental disorders and changes in the structure and function of the brain.

Findings on research about mental disorders suggest that the health care community ought to place as much emphasis on emotional health as it places on physiological health and ought to recognize how biological, emotional, and societal problems combine to affect individual patients, families, and communities.

Typically, people who are mentally healthy are satisfied with themselves and their life situations. When people have unmet emotional needs or distress, they experience an overall feeling of unhappiness.

As tension escalates, security and survival are threatened. How different people respond to these troublesome situations reflects their level of coping and maturity.

As a consequence, a particular mental disorder, known as bipolar depression, takes place and brings about extraordinary alterations in an individual's energy, frame of mind, temper, and capability to work.

Contrary to most popular beliefs, bipolar depression is not an ordinary mood swing, where the individual experiences normal ebb and flow of personal experiences that everybody lives through. The signs of bipolar depression are so grave that it is almost impossible to cure immediately.

Bipolar depression, when untreated can bring about serious consequences that may lead to poor functionality, wreaked relationships, and even death as caused by suicide.

In the United States, statistical reports show that more than 5 million people are affected with bipolar depression. This is such an alarming state considering the fact that bipolar depression can definitely wreak havoc to one's life, community, or even the whole nation.

Bipolar depression can notably manifest drastic changes in one's mood. It can show a drastic, significant change in one's temper, ranging from being extremely bad-tempered to a normal frame of mind.

The stages of low and high mood swings are known as "episodes of depression and mania."

To know more about bipolar depression, here is a list of symptoms of bipolar depression:

1. Extreme irritability

Violent and aggressive behavior, usually episodic, is a means of expressing feelings of anger, fear, or hopelessness about a situation.

A person who suffers or has a history of outburst rage, temper tantrums, or impulsive behavior, can be suffering from bipolar depression.

2. Amplified energy, restlessness, and activity

Patients with bipolar depression have defensive behavior against real or perceived threat to self. These people are impulsive and unreliable. They tend to be hyperactive and commit to a lot of tasks that they cannot even finish.

3. Poor judgment

They are in contact with reality but have difficulty dealing with it. Hence, it is hard to impose judgments.

4. Refutation of the current situation

They are trying not to be aware that they have a problem.

When depression interferes with a person's ability to function comfortably and inhibits the effective management of personal needs, that person is at risk for emotional problems.

In order to solve the problem, the patient needs to understand that bipolar depression is treatable. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety agents may be prescribed.

Crisis and supportive services in the community include mental health centers, telephone counselling and referral, suicide prevention centers, group therapy, and marital and family counseling. Theres a lot of help out there, we can but hope it gets used.