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Home » Other / Miscellanious » 12 Bipolar Disorder Facts You Might Not Know!
We’ve been exploring several bipolar disorder facts and have included the bipolar disorder facts that we think you should know about and that not everyone talks about.
Let’s first start by reviewing what bipolar is so that we can better understand the facts that accompany the disorder.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, bipolar disorders are brain disorders that cause changes in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function.
People with bipolar have extreme and intense emotional states. However, those with bipolar generally have periods of normal moods, and the good news is that bipolar disorder can be treated.
Here’s our list of key bipolar disorder facts that we think you need to know.
There are three different types of bipolar, with all of them involving episodes of depression and mania. The three types that patients might be diagnosed with are:
Manic episodes aren’t just a case of being more ‘up’ than usual. There are many different signs and symptoms of mania, which include:
Less severe manic bipolar periods are known as hypomanic episodes. According to the American Psychiatric Association, one of the main hallmarks of hypomania is a decreased need for sleep. Some people who are hypomanic sleep only a few hours a day yet feel rested.
The diagnostic criteria for hypomania require at least three of the following symptoms for at least four days, according to experts:
Some of the most common triggers of hypomania are sleep deprivation and/or too much caffeine.
For mild or moderate hypomanic episodes, it may be possible for a person to treat the episodes by adopting basic lifestyle habits. These can include:
For more severe episodes of hypomania, patients may require mood stabilizers.
According to NIMH, Although the symptoms of bipolar do come and go, it usually requires lifetime treatment and won’t go away on its own.
Some of the outcomes of bipolar disorder can be severe if left untreated. It can cause difficulties such as job loss, family issues, and even suicide.
When properly treated, the good news is that it can lead to better outcomes for the sufferer and everyone involved with the patient.
One of the most common times for bipolar disorder to develop is often during late adolescence or teen years into early adulthood.
It’s not so common, but occasionally bipolar symptoms can appear in younger children.
According to experts, some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder might overlap with symptoms of common childhood disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which is usually referred to as ADHD.
Receiving an early diagnosis of bipolar disorder can make treatment and management easier.
However, it is common for older adults to have been misdiagnosed, meaning they won’t realize they are suffering from bipolar symptoms until later in life.
According to recent research, most patients begin to experience symptoms of bipolar disorder before they are 50.
However, some patients can get symptoms after 50 years of age, commonly known as late-onset bipolar disorder.
One of the most common misdiagnosis for bipolar is depression.
As the more mild, manic episodes in bipolar II can sometimes pass unnoticed, it can be easy for sufferers to simply not spot the signs.
According to research by Drs. Tanvir Singh and Muhammad Rajput, 69% of people with bipolar disorder are initially misdiagnosed with another mental health disorder, most commonly unipolar depression.
It’s staggering to understand that more than 30% of those remain misdiagnosed for 10 years or more and the average patient remains misdiagnosed for between 5 and 7 and a half years.
Related: Bipolar vs Unipolar
There are many ways to help those who have bipolar disorder. Some of the most common methods include:
It’s common knowledge that eating unhealthy foods can lead to many types of health issues.
However, it’s not as well known that a poor diet can play a role in triggering bipolar mood episodes, according to research.
Lack of nutrition can also contribute to less effective medication. While there is no specific diet recommended for bipolar disorder, certain food choices may help manage manic episodes. Avoiding or limiting your intake of the following may be beneficial:
Bipolar does not discriminate and affects many popular faces we recognize from Hollywood, the music industry, poets, and writers.
The association between creativity and bipolar disorder has attracted academic and public interest for centuries, and there has been much research on the subject.
Here are 15 famous creatives who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder:
Let’s take a look at some statistics relating to bipolar disorder
Although much research has been undertaken on bipolar disorder, researchers are still investigating the reasons as to why you might have symptoms.
Currently, according to experts, there are three risk factors that contribute to your likelihood of developing the condition. These are:
Scientists are still looking into which genes are involved and the type of brain structure that may make someone more predisposed to the condition.
However, it is clear that bipolar disorder does tend to run in families.
While most people with a family history of the condition won’t go on to develop bipolar disorder, having a parent or sibling with bipolar disorder can significantly increase the risk.
We hope we’ve been able to enlighten you on some of the bipolar disorder facts you perhaps didn’t know. If you feel you might be a sufferer, then we strongly recommend consulting your doctor.
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