Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that is characterized by a change in opposite phases (depression and mania) with a certain frequency. This disease can cause serious inconvenience to the patient and his environment. In our article, you will learn not only about the symptoms of bipolar syndrome, but also about the methods of its diagnosis, as well as effective treatment. This material will be especially useful for those people who have a family member suffering from this severe mental illness.
Bipolar affective disorder - what is it?
It will be quite difficult to describe this disease in simple words, but we will try to do it. The article contains the basic theoretical information on this issue and is presented in an accessible language for every person. So, Bipolar Syndromewas originally called manic-depressive psychosis, or circular psychosis. This psychological disease is characterized by a cyclical change of certain phases - depression and mania. That is, a person at a certain time feels a special need to achieve the task at any cost, and sometimes experiences a feeling of severe depression and unwillingness to live. As a rule, the change of phases is accompanied by certain life changes that the patient cannot control.
According to statistics, about 0.7% of the world's population suffers from manic-depressive psychosis. As you know, women succumb to various psychological diseases much more often than men, and therefore bipolar disorder is observed in most cases more often among the fair sex. However, this does not mean at all that men are completely immune from this scourge. Also, do not forget that the syndrome can be expressed to varying degrees in different patients. In one person, the phase of depression is most noticeable, in the other - mania. If this disease is not treated in time, the patient may commit suicide or harm others.
As a rule, the duration of each phase is strictly individual and depends on the psychological characteristics of the human body. Between them, there can even be a period of "calm" - the so-called intermission, when the patient is not disturbed by either depression or mania. Unfortunately, it is this period that many novice psychologists confuse with a complete cure.patient, but the symptoms may return again after a month or even a year. Both phases can be of varying severity, so diagnosing bipolar 1 disorder can sometimes be very difficult.
What are the causes and risk factors for the disease?
According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), bipolar affective disorder is a disease that has a genetic predisposition. Almost 80% of patients have individuals in their family who also suffered from this disease. Therefore, if you suffer from depression and mania, then first of all you need to talk with your loved ones, since it may well turn out that there were people in your family with bipolar affective disorder. The causes of this disease may also lie in the severe psychological trauma that the patient had to endure in early childhood, but such cases are quite rare.
It should be understood that if the patient does not start the course of treatment on time, then he can harm not only himself, but also the people around him. However, if you do not deal with the cause of the disease, then the treatment may be simply useless. Here are just the main risk factors that contribute to the development of a psychological disorder:
- endocrine changes in the female body (pathological and physiological) - the syndrome can be diagnosed in young girls before the first menstruation, during adolescence, after menopausal depression and also after recruitmentoverweight at various times;
- personality traits - some people are born with depression or emotional instability, panic easily or constantly complain about their lifestyle, are confused and insecure;
- injuries, neoplasms and infections of the brain - unfortunately, the causes of a psychological disorder can often lie in the malfunctioning of the brain, which was caused by some kind of injury or even a tumor;
- a history of a depressive or manic episode - some patients talk about how they had to face a rather unpleasant life situation that changed their worldview and attitude towards certain personalities in one direction or another;
- Psychiatric drug use – Sometimes mania or depression can occur while taking some kind of psychotropic drug that is designed to combat another psychological illness, such as dissociative identity disorder or classic schizophrenia.
As you can see, there are quite a few reasons that can lead to the development of bipolar affective disorder. The history of the disease in this case can play a huge role, because if the patient turned to a specialist for help at an early age with complaints of psychological instability, then this can greatly facilitate the establishment of the correct diagnosis for the psychotherapist.
Disease forms
Many people wonder: "How to live with bipolar affective disorder?". The answer to it cannot be given in full, if a specific form of this disease has not been established. For example, moderate and mild depression can be quite simply stopped with the help of a course of psychotherapy. Here are the main forms of the disease:
- depressive (severe, moderate or mild) with or without various psychotic symptoms;
- manic (mild, moderate or severe) with psychotic symptoms;
- Mixed illness is the most common form of depression and mania.
The easiest way to diagnose the depressive form, because it is characterized by characteristic external signs: apathy, lack of desire to live, nervousness, and so on. Mania without psychotic symptoms is quite easy to confuse with ordinary purposefulness, but the difference is that the patient is ready to make any sacrifices to achieve the desired result and often works to the detriment of his he alth
Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar affective disorder (BAD), like any other psychological illness, is very difficult to diagnose. As a rule, only a highly qualified specialist who has been working with mentally ill people for several years can make such a diagnosis. As a rule, diagnosis is carried out against the background of anamnesis.
The psychotherapist carefully examines the history of the patient, as well as those symptoms that bother him. The specialist should pay special attention to the presence of similar symptoms in the patient's relatives,since in most cases BAD is inherited. The therapist may also do some tests for bipolar personality disorder, which involve doing simple tasks or answering unusual questions.
Also, the diagnosis of mania and depression can be carried out using various devices that scan the brain, if the disease was caused by some kind of injury or infection. Even in medicine, there is a special evaluation system - the Altman scale for assessing the degree of mania. And the Beck test allows you to determine the degree of depression of the patient. That is, the psychologist, on the basis of the points scored as a result of a patient's survey, determines how much the patient is sick.
How does bipolar syndrome progress?
As a rule, bipolar disorder begins to form in adolescence, but most often manifests itself in the period from 20 to 30 years. In some cases, different phases may continue to form in older people, but this is quite rare. Although if there is a hereditary predisposition to this, then this fact should by no means be ignored. It is also customary to divide BAR according to the following criteria:
- duration of cycles - circular, with long remissions or dual phases, in which mania and depression are replaced several times within one day;
- frequency of phase change - monophasic (depression or mania), biphasic (change of two or three episodes during the year), polyphasic (more than three episodes in one year);
- by rapid growthsymptoms - with slow (development can occur over several years) or fast cycles (the patient completely changes in a few months).
Circular flow is the most common variant, which is characterized by a change in the phase of mania and depression with small intervals of remission. Sometimes the patient may feel completely he althy, but even a slight psychological trauma can lead him into a deep depression or manic phase. Although it may be that the course of bipolar affective disorder is not accompanied by rest phases. In this case, the patient should be treated immediately, as his condition may worsen day by day.
Inpatient treatment
According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), bipolar affective disorder is a psychological illness that is subject to inpatient treatment. That is, patients with a severe form of depression or mania must necessarily go to the hospital for a comprehensive examination. In a medical institution, there will be a struggle for the vital functions of the patient's body using various means and drugs. For example, patients with bipolar disorder are often injected with drugs that normalize the functioning of the digestive system, as sick people can simply forget to eat properly and regularly.
If the cause of the disorder lies in a hormonal disorder (most often characteristic of women), then a complex of hormonal agents that supportbalance of hormones within the body. Mood symptoms can be treated with antidepressants, but such drugs should be prescribed with extreme caution to avoid overdosing in the event of a mistake. Also, the patient can take all the pills at once during the transition from the manic phase to the depressive phase or vice versa.
If the patient is delirious or sees various hallucinations, then he may be prescribed neuroleptics in combination with anticholinergics, which prevent the development of side effects and various complications. In extreme cases, tranquilizers and various sedatives are used to calm especially violent patients. Doses of drugs are prescribed on a strictly individual basis to prevent complications and side effects.
Psychotherapy
According to psychiatry, bipolar affective disorder can be cured with proper psychotherapy. If a person is in a state of depressive or manic psychosis, then he first of all needs a conversation with a person who would understand his problems. Psychotherapy is one of the most important components for the treatment of any mental illness. As a rule, sessions are carried out with a certain frequency (1 or 2 times a week) or when the patient feels very unwell.
The main goal of psychotherapy is awareness of the characteristics of mental illness, as well as factors that affect the periodic change of phases. Also during the sessions, the patient is trained to resistvarious stressful situations, as well as how to avoid situations that lead to unpleasant symptoms. If a person learns to control his behavior, then over time a state of remission will be achieved, when it will be possible to begin teaching the patient how to communicate with others without conflict.
In modern medicine, there are three well-known methods of psychotherapy: family, interpersonal and behavioral. Each of them can be used by the attending physician, if he deems it necessary. For example, sessions may be based on the patient's behavior in stressful situations or on interactions with the patient's relatives. It is worth noting that a violation of the usual regimen of psychotherapy can provoke an outbreak of bipolar disorder, so the psychotherapist is obliged to provide timely assistance to his patient.
What should relatives of the patient know?
The phases of bipolar affective disorder can manifest themselves in different ways, so the first to notice that something is wrong with a person should be his relatives. It is close people who are able to provide the patient with the support that he needs in difficult times. Thus, you can alleviate the condition of not only a family member, but also your own. Below is a small list of recommendations that relatives of the sick should follow.
- Support your relative and listen to him in difficult times.
- Keep track of your medications and psychotherapy sessions.
- Tell your doctor immediately if the patient is getting worse.
- Give your loved one quality and he althy sleep.
- Follow the proper nutrition of the patient in case of problems with excess weight.
- Give your relative more outdoor activities.
- Create the most peaceful atmosphere at home without quarrels and scandals.
- Participate in family therapy with a patient.
Of course, there are various tests for bipolar disorder, but none of them can replace the words spoken by a close relative of the patient. If he felt that some changes had occurred in a person, then he should immediately seek help from a specialist, since self-treatment can only lead to a worsening of the patient's condition.
Symptoms
Signs of bipolar affective disorder are most often associated with symptoms of depression, since only an experienced specialist can diagnose such a disease at the stage of mania. Therefore, we will consider how to correctly recognize a mental illness against the background of a depressive state. What most often accompanies depression? That's right, suicidal tendencies and complete indifference to what is happening in life.
If a patient tries to talk to relatives about his problems, he will most often use general expressions: "I can no longer live like this" or "I'm tired of this meaningless existence." It should be understood that in both cases, a personsubconsciously seeks support from close people, so relatives are obliged not only to listen to their family member, but also to try to solve the problem that worries him. If the patient cools down a little, then you need to try to persuade him to help you. His role in resolving a difficult life situation will be quite simple - you just need to accept the help of a qualified specialist by visiting several sessions of psychotherapy.
You should also pay special attention to a member of your family in the event that he suddenly became withdrawn and stopped communicating with his friends. As a rule, many people simply dismiss the patient, thinking that he is playing for the public, although in reality he is simply looking for support from loved ones. If you do not provide it in time, then he may completely stop making contact with you or even commit suicide. Of course, helping a person who has withdrawn into himself can be extremely difficult, but you should not give up because of this. Try to regain the trust of your loved one, and then persuade him to go through several sessions of family therapy together.
There is also a third option (the most dangerous), when a patient with bipolar syndrome simply does not show any signs that he is worried about depression. It can be extremely difficult to notice any changes in such cases, but for a loved one it is quite possible. If your relative was recently dumped by a girl, and he is acting suspiciously calm, rest assured that he is just hiding his true feelings behind a mask.indifference. You should notice changes in the patient's life, even if they seem insignificant at first. For example, any depressed person will stop monitoring their he alth, although before that they constantly ran in the morning. In response to the question: "Why?" you may hear some formulaic phrase: "I've been having a headache lately" or "The weather is bad outside", etc. You should not ignore such warnings.
Video and conclusion
We hope this article has helped you better understand what bipolar disorder is. The case histories of thousands of patients confirm that it is quite possible to live with such a diagnosis, if, of course, you take the medicines prescribed by the doctor, and also attend a course of psychotherapy on time. By the way, if the information from the article seemed not enough for you, then we strongly recommend that you watch a short video about BAD, in which you can also find many useful tips for the patient himself and his relatives.
As you can see, Bipolar Affective Syndrome is a very complex psychological disease that is quite difficult to diagnose. However, do not forget the fact that it is quite often inherited. If there were psychologically ill people in your family, you should immediately seek help from a specialist. Trust me, it's okay to just go to a therapist and talk to them about what's bothering you.
