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Last Updated: Oct 23, 2019
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Bipolar Disorder

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Dr. Ajay NihalaniPsychiatrist • 27 Years Exp.Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, United Kingdom (MRC Psych), MD - Psychiatry, MBBS
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What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a condition in which your mood can swing very high, or very low, for weeks or months. It used to be called manic depression.

Your mood can be:

Low with intense depression and despair high or ‘manic’ with elation, over-activity or anger a'mixed state' with symptoms of depression and mania.

Bipolar disorder is less common than depression. It affects about 1 person in a 100.

What causes bipolar disorder?

It seems to run in families, so genes are involved. Genetic causes are less common in the elderly. There may be a physical problem with the brain systems which control mood. Stress can trigger episodes.

How does it feel to have bipolar disorder?

  • Depression
  • Feelings of unhappiness that don't go away
  • Agitation and restlessness
  • Loss of self-confidence
  • Feeling useless, inadequate and hopeless
  • Thoughts of suicide
  • Not able to think positively or hopefully
  • Can't make decisions
  • Can't concentrate, lose interest
  • Can't eat, lose weight
  • Can't sleep properly, wake early in the morning
  • Go off sex
  • Avoid other people
  • Mania
  • Very happy and excited
  • Feel more important than usual
  • Full of new and exciting ideas
  • Move quickly from one idea to another
  • Full of energy
  • Don't want to sleep
  • More interested in sex
  • Make unrealistic plans
  • Very overactive, talking quickly irritable with other people who can't go along with your mood and ideas
  • Spending more money
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