Often people with changeable moods, impulsive and aggressive from fatigue, people with a hysterical nature, and simply poorly educated individuals are perceived by others as having bipolar disorder. But this is far from true.
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Specialists from the KORSAKOV psychiatric clinic spoke about what bipolar disorder actually is, what its symptoms are, how it progresses and how it is treated.
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Bipolar disorder: symptoms and characteristics of the disease
Bipolar affective disorder (manic-depressive psychosis) is a mental illness characterized by frequent and sudden changes in a person’s mood, emotions and behavior (from manic hyperactivity, joy, feelings of omnipotence to depressive inhibition, feelings of worthlessness and unwillingness to live). The disorder is cyclical in nature, with periods of exacerbation and remission clearly visible. If you do not start treating this disorder in time, then the duration of remission is significantly reduced over time, and the symptoms during a relapse become bright, intense and significantly worsen the life of the patient himself and his loved ones.
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COST OF TREATMENT
Exacerbations of bipolar disorder often occur in the autumn-winter and winter-spring periods. The reason for this lies not only in the gray cold weather, which makes even a healthy person sad, but also in the weakened immune system at this time.
According to statistics, women are more likely to suffer from bipolar disorder. However, scientists say that both men and women are susceptible to this disorder in approximately equal proportions. It’s just that women, when they experience emotional and psychological discomfort, are much more likely to seek help from specialists, which is reflected in the statistics.
The main signs of bipolar disorder are the periodicity of mania and depression, which replace each other. To get a more detailed understanding of the disorder, you need to look at the symptomatic picture of each period separately.
Signs of a manic phase:
- A feeling of happiness, euphoria and energy for no apparent reason, lasting three hours or more.
- A person does not need sleep, even if he does not sleep for a long time and works hard physically. The sleep is short, superficial, after waking up the person feels rested and full of energy.
- Accelerated speech. Words precede thoughts, so the meaning of what is said often becomes incomprehensible to others.
- The patient does something first, and only then thinks. Takes on several things at once and often does not finish what he starts. Work productivity decreases significantly.
- The ability to adequately perceive oneself is lost. The patient overestimates his capabilities, considers himself better and superior to others.
- Risky behavior. A person can gamble, place large bets, realizing that the chance of winning something is small.
Signs of the depressive phase:
- A long and morally difficult period of sadness that appeared suddenly and without reason.
- The person becomes withdrawn, silent, does not want to contact even close people, and experiences all problems within himself.
- Lost interest in life. Problems seem bigger than they really are, and favorite activities no longer bring pleasure.
- Appetite disorders appear - a complete lack of appetite or irresistible hunger, when the patient cannot get enough.
- Absent-mindedness appears. A person cannot concentrate on anything.
- Thoughts about suicide appear. A feeling of doom and uselessness arises, and life loses its meaning.
Affective insanity
A biphasic disorder manifests itself in manic and depressive forms, replacing each other. In the interval, remission is noted. At this time, the patient feels completely healthy and does not notice any signs of pathology. With proper control, the duration of remission can reach several years and many decades. Moreover, each psychotraumatic situation can act as a provocateur of an attack of pathology, often with significantly increased symptoms.
If there is such a diagnosis, patients are recommended to constantly monitor their health status with a psychiatrist. An important condition is the observation of the patient by one specialist. This allows you to clearly identify changes in symptoms, showing the development of pathology or inherent in already observed attacks.
Among the provocateurs of the start, there is a hereditary predisposition, emotional and physical trauma, especially physical trauma, during which the brain was damaged. Constant poisoning of the body becomes a strong provocateur. It can be caused by activities in hazardous industries involving chemicals. The onset of the disease is prolonged use of large doses of alcohol and drug addiction. Other factors may also come into play. The exact reason for the start has not yet been determined by doctors.
The prognosis for the development of the diagnosis is negative. It is impossible to be completely cured. At the first manifestation of the disease, it is important for the patient and his relatives to understand that further observation by a doctor will be lifelong.
Causes of bipolar disorder
Genetic: a predisposition to bipolar disorder exists in those people whose relatives had or have the same diagnosis. In this case, the disease may not manifest itself throughout life if there is no stress factor that can provoke the disorder.
Chronic fatigue, overwork or emotional burnout. Disappointment in personal life, loss of a loved one, dismissal from work, great misfortune - these stress factors often lead to emotional devastation of a person. Against the background of all this, bipolar disorder often develops.
Hormonal changes. Bipolar disorder manifests itself most clearly in women during premenstrual syndrome, in pregnant women, and also with the onset of menopause.
Melancholic temperament, excessive emotionality and sensitivity. Melancholic people are more susceptible to stress and have a hard time withstanding it. This is why, due to their nature, susceptible people often suffer from bipolar disorder.
Organic lesions and brain injuries leading to various psychiatric disorders and diseases.
Use of drugs, alcohol, and potent medications.
Treatment of manic psychosis
Treatment for the diagnosis directly depends on the type of disease. Correct determination of the type allows you to avoid erroneous prescription of drugs. Thus, some types of mood stabilizers or a violation of the dosage in taking medications can transfer a patient with the bipolar type from a state of mania to a state of severe depression.
An important part of therapy is communication with a psychologist and psychotherapist. During such classes, the mental state is normalized. Additionally, traditional medicine is used. The use of sedatives and teas is indicated.
Physiotherapy courses and physical therapy exercises have a positive effect. All appointments must be comprehensive. A favorable environment is created. An important part of treatment is the removal of negative factors. Primarily stress, alcohol and drug use.
How to help someone with bipolar disorder
If you notice signs of bipolar affective disorder in yourself or a loved one, then you should not expect the situation to normalize on its own. In order not to worsen the situation, you need to seek help from a qualified doctor as soon as possible and undergo the necessary therapy.
It is important to understand that all people have changeable moods. But if it is exaggerated and causes discomfort to a person, then one cannot do without the help of a doctor.
Treatment of mental disorders in Russia is carried out only after the voluntary written consent of the patient, except in cases provided for by the current legislation of the Russian Federation. That is why it is important that a person is aware of his problem, wants to get rid of it and improve his quality of life. It is better to talk about the need for treatment when the patient is in the stage of depression, then he is more receptive to the advice of others, ready to listen and share his pain.
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Manic psychosis in women
Women suffer from this mental state disorder approximately three to four times more often than men. Representatives of the fair sex are characterized by the prevalence of depressive states. The manic stage in the early stages is often mistaken for hysteria.
A feature of the course is the ability to plunge into a prolonged depressive state, which can often last for years. During this period, all life activities are disrupted. It is also possible that menstruation may stop due to depression.
Manic depressive psychosis treatment
The leading role in successful therapy is given to the patient’s immediate environment. Monitoring mood changes comes to the fore in order to determine the transition of a mild disorder to a serious pathology. It is the relatives who can consult a doctor in a timely manner. In most cases, patients are unable to independently recognize the presence of the disease.
In therapy, necessary antidepressants are used at the stage of predominance of a negative attitude towards life. Additionally, sedatives are used; occupational therapy, massage courses and physiotherapy have a positive effect.
Psychotherapy sessions are conducted. An integrated approach using drug treatment, traditional methods of therapy, physiotherapy, consultations with a psychotherapist, and group classes allows the patient to be transferred to a period of long-term remission.
Manic psychosis in men
If in women the pathology is most often diagnosed in the stage of protracted and deep depression, in men a manic manifestation becomes a bright start in most situations. Men are characterized by a transition to an aggressive state, which develops against the background of an increased level of excitability. Patients are capable of causing injury to themselves and those around them. The most active pathology in the manic stage manifests itself against the background of drug or alcohol intoxication. In this condition, patients also move from one stage to another in a short time, plunging into a deep and often prolonged depression.
Symptoms and signs of manic psychosis in women
In the treatment of women, specialists most often encounter the first treatment at the stage of deep depression, sometimes lasting for months or years. Often the list of reasons for visiting a doctor includes a complaint about menstrual irregularities, accompanied by a negative perception of the surrounding reality. An important part of the psychiatrist’s tasks is to distinguish mood disorders associated with hormonal fluctuations from causes provoked by a complex psychiatric diagnosis.
Most women try to hide until the last moment the onset of the manic stage at the level of increased excitability. It is often mistaken for increased emotionality. A direct indicator of pathology is a sharp change in mood in a short time.
How not to be an asshole
No matter how severe our illness may be, only part of our unpleasant actions depends on the symptoms, the other part depends only on ourselves. Trust Viktor Frankl, a psychologist who found opportunities to show humanity even for people with schizophrenia imprisoned in a concentration camp.
A person with a mental disorder is in a state of attack/episode only a small part of the time, the rest of the time he is quite capable of controlling his behavior (if this were not so, the issue of deprivation of legal capacity would be on the agenda).
If you can't help but destroy everything around you when panic strikes, you can fix what's broken when you come to your senses. And apologize to those who managed to suffer, thanking them for their patience and support. One friend told a touching story about how, being deeply depressed, she made jam for friends because she could not express her love for them in words.
You can’t abuse your partner’s trust either: for example, attribute any unwell health to illness and shift difficult tasks onto him every time.
The resource of anyone, even a completely healthy person, is limited, and at some point a partner may leave, not because he is a traitor and does not value you, but simply because there is no more strength. And this is not the worst ending: having burned out, having given away more resources than he had, he risks falling into depression himself - or becoming dependent on alcohol or other harmful substances (not the rarest situation in families of people with mental disorders - it’s not for nothing that they exist support groups specifically for relatives). Then you will have to save him.
Symptoms and signs of manic depressive psychosis
For this pathology, the leading symptom is a sharp change in the patient’s mood, which manifests itself at an elevated level. Periods of exaltation and euphoria in a short time are ready to move into a state of negative attitude towards the surrounding reality.
During periods of euphoria, patients tend to positively overestimate what is happening, and an increase in motor activity is noted. Often patients become overly sexually preoccupied, trying to have frequent sexual intercourse with a regular partner or change partners, they seek pleasure on the verge of pathology, and laugh loudly. Speech becomes confused, thoughts jump from one topic to another, and an increased degree of absent-mindedness is noted. At the same time, the attitude towards what is happening prevails at the positive stage. The patient is not able to evaluate the meaninglessness and inadequacy of his own actions; he tends to move towards the level of narcissism in relation to his personality.
The depressive stage is characterized by the transition of all manifestations to a diametrically opposite stage. Life begins to be perceived exclusively in negative tones, a self-deprecating attitude towards any of one’s own actions prevails, and thoughts arise about the presence of a serious illness. The maximum manifestation of negative perception is self-mutilation, up to and including attempts to commit suicide.
Manic depressive psychosis in women
It occurs with long periods of stable remission. At the same time, representatives of the fair sex may suffer from prolonged depression, during which there is a loss of interest in life. A high degree of manifestation of pathology is the loss of related feelings, including the maternal instinct.
During the manic period, women may display aggression towards others. They can disrupt social contacts due to lack of control over friendships and increased sexual activity. At the same time, the woman perceives herself admiringly, refuses to listen and accept criticism.
Where to go for advice and help?
There are different options for receiving psychiatric and psychotherapeutic help.
State psychiatric hospitals and psychoneurological dispensaries at the place of residence.
Crisis helpline - you can call if you are having suicidal thoughts. Phone: 8 (800) 100-49-94.
Private clinics licensed to provide medical care. The authenticity of a license can and should always be checked on the website of the licensing authority. Do not forget to check the authenticity of the education of the specialists you contact.
No one option can guarantee the best mental health care one hundred percent. If you have doubts or discomfort, you can always change your doctor, listen to several opinions and try different treatment options. A good specialist will always be able to talk about the diagnosis and course of treatment, and will back up his words with data from modern research. The choice is yours.
