English Comp
Akron Institute
Christie Stark
April 17, 2011
Since we could remember many of us have gone through many changes in our lives, some good and some bad. All of us can say during our lives that we have periodically had some sort of mood swing. Whether it was from a recent death in the family or an event in our lives, but to be able to link it to a disease we should know about the disease. Bipolar Disorders what is it? How is it diagnosed? Can it be treated? These are the questions I will answer in the following paragraphs.
Bipolar Disorder is a disease that is caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain. The number one effect of bipolar disorder is commonly recognized as mood swings. People with bipolar disorder experience unusually intense emotional states that occur in distinct periods called "mood episodes (Bridges to Recovery, 2011) for a person to go from extremely hyper to being depressed are signs of bipolar disorder. There are many different stages of Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar I Disorder is mainly defined by manic or mixed episodes that last at least seven days, or by manic symptoms that are so severe that the person needs immediate hospital care. Bipolar II Disorder is defined by a pattern of depressive episodes shifting back and forth with hypo manic episodes, but no full-blown manic or mixed episodes. Some people may be diagnosed with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. (Features, 2005) This is when a person has four or more episodes of major depression, mania, hypomania, or mixed symptoms within a year. Though rapid-cycling is found more in women than in men. In today’s modern age we are able to gain information from the Internet and other sources to be able to identify any disease a person may think he/she has. To be properly diagnosed of any condition or disorder it is best to consult your doctor. Scientist has come a long way over the years in both treating and diagnosing different diseases and