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Bipolar Depression
from: Self Help and WellnessBipolar depression is just what the name implies. It's a disorder that involves major swings in mood. One day you may be happy and ready to take on the world, and the next day feeling as if you don't even want to get out of bed. It's a very difficult disorder which is confusing and fatiguing. The mood swings can even happen in the space of a single day. If you've ever had one of those days where you went from feeling happy and successful to feeling like a failure, then you have an idea of what it's like to have bipolar depression. But imagine the swings happening regularly in your life -- maybe even every day.
Bipolar depression is about a lot more than moods though. The highs and lows can be very extreme. In fact, people with bipolar depression have often have euphoric highs which lead them to act irrationally. While feeling euphoria, the person may believe they are invincible. For example, a bipolar person may think they can't lose at the casino and gamble all the household money. Or the person may decide to go shopping and buys everything in sight without regard to fiscal responsibility.
It's not too difficult to imagine how a person with bipolar depression can bring about devastation for a family. On the opposite end of the euphoric state is the depressed state. The state of depression can follow quickly and is especially low because of the memory of the short lived euphoria. You go from top of the world to not wanting to even get out of bed. Of course, not everyone has such extreme swings, but even lesser states of euphoria and depression can be difficult and confusing.
When someone is bipolar and holds a job, it's not hard to imagine the potential consequences. Rash decisions made during the high period can be very harmful to the job. Some people with bipolar depression get hyperactive and think they can do anything whether or not they're qualified.
Bipolar depression can be brought on by substance abuse. Drug users are commonly diagnosed with bipolar depression and studies are researching whether the propensity for drug use and the manic or bipolar depression are related. Once you are diagnosed with bipolar depression, it will most likely have to be managed the rest of your life. Even children can develop bipolar depression though it's frequently misdiagnosed as hyperactivity or attention deficit disorder.
Bipolar depression is a complicated medical issue but treatment works well. Treatment usually includes medication to even out the moods and psychotherapy to teach the person how to be aware of the onset of the mood swings. As researchers continue to study the problem, it's fully expected that new treatments will be developed.
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