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Signs and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

April 9th, 2009 | Add a Comment

Thanks to aggressive media campaigns from the pharmaceutical companies, public awareness of bipolar disorder has been raised significantly. However, television and radio spots are limited in the information they can convey. So, while more people have become aware of bipolar disorder, they may not truly understand what exactly the condition is and what the common bipolar symptoms and bipolar medication are. First, it is important to understand the basic bipolar symptoms and bipolar medications before delving on the whole issue of bipolar. A brief overview of bipolar illness and its medication is provided. One of the most basic signs of bipolar disorder is the extremes of highs and lows also called swinging of moods. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a persons … Read entire article »

Filed under: Depression

Study On Treatment Options For Bipolar Disorder

April 1st, 2007 | Add a Comment

For depressed people with bipolar disorder who are taking a mood stabilizer, adding an antidepressant medication is no more effective than a placebo (sugar pill), according to results published online on March 28, 2007 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The results are part of the large-scale, multi-site Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD), a $26.8 million clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Bipolar disorder, a sometimes debilitating illness marked by severe mood swings between depression and mania, is usually treated with mood stabilizers such as lithium, valproate, carbamazepine or other medications that reduce mania. However, depression is more common than mania in bipolar disorder, and depressive episodes tend to last longer than episodes of mania. Antidepressant medications are … Read entire article »

Filed under: Mental Health

Bipolar Disorder

February 11th, 2007 | Add a Comment

What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a serious medical illness that causes shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. Signs & Symptoms Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings from overly “high” and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression. Treatment Most people with bipolar disorder can achieve substantial stabilization of their mood swings and related symptoms over time with proper treatment. A strategy that combines medication and psychosocial treatment is optimal for … Read entire article »

Filed under: Mental Health