Desorden bipolar

Definition

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes people to have severe high and low moods. People who have this illness switch from feeling overly happy and joyful to feeling very sad and vice versa. Because of the highs and the lows, or two poles of mood, the condition is referred to as "bipolar" disorder. In between episodes of mood swings, a person may experience normal moods.More than just a fleeting good or bad mood, the cycles of bipolar disorder last for days, weeks, or months. And unlike ordinary mood swings, the mood changes of bipolar disorder are so intense that they interfere with your ability to function.
The word "manic" describes the periods when the person feels overly excited and confident. These feelings can quickly turn to confusion, irritability,anger, and even rage. The word "depressive" describes the periods when the person feels very sad or depressed. Because the symptoms are similar, sometimes people with bipolar disorder are incorrectly diagnosed as having major depression.
Most individuals with bipolar disorder spend more time in depressed phases than in manic phases.
Depression might be identified by:
* Refusing to get out ofbed for days on end
* Sleeping much more than usual
* Being tired all the time but unable to sleep
* Having bouts of uncontrollable crying
* Becoming entirely uninterested in things you once enjoyed
* Paying no attention to daily responsibilities
* Feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless for a sustained period of time
* Becoming unable to make simple decisions
*Wanting to die.
Mania might include:
* Feeling like you can do anything, even something unsafe or illegal
* Needing very little sleep, yet never feeling tired
* Dressing flamboyantly, spending money extravagantly, living recklessly
* Having increased sexual desires, perhaps even indulging in risky sexual behaviors
* Experiencing hallucinations or delusions
* Feeling filledwith energy.

Statistics

* NARSAD, the Mental Health Research Association state that: "More than 2 million American adults or 1 percent of the population age 18 or older in any given year have bipolar disorder."

* A 2005 US community epidemiological study (the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions), estimated the lifetime risk of bipolar I and bipolar II asranging from 3-10%. See bipolar statistics and other bipolar facts and figures.

* And according to the latest bipolar statistics quoted by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): "Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population age 18 and older every year." (National Institute of Mental Health)

* According to Dr. WesBurgess in his book, The Bipolar Handbook: Real-Life Questions with Up-to-Date Answers, Penguin 2006: "It is estimated that 2 to 7% of people in the United States suffer from bipolar disorder. Almost 10 million people will develop the illness sometimes during their lives. About half of these will never receive the correct diagnosis or treatment."

* In Australia there are around 238,957 peoplewith bipolar disorder.

* In the United Kingdom it is approximately 723,248 people.

* In Germany, around 989,095 people have bipolar disorder.

* In Canada, bipolar disorder affects around 390,094 people.

* In Iran, bipolar disorder affects around 810,038 people.

* And for both India and China, each have somewhere between 12 - 15 million people who are bipolar.

*Studies have shown that 25 to 50 percent of people with bipolar disorder (manic depression) attempt suicide.

* People with bipolar disorder are at great risk for suicide if they are not getting treatment. The National Mental Health Association reports that 30%-70% of suicide victims have suffered from a form of depression. Men commit almost 75% of suicides, even though twice as many women...