Written by Samuel Grey

What do the following famous people have in common? Ned Beatty, Jim Carey, Rosemary Clooney, Robert Downey Jr, Patty Duke, Carrie Fisher, Connie Francis, Vivien Leigh, Burgess Meredith, Spike Milligan, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Robin Williams, Ludwig Van Beethoven, George Fredrick Handel, Vincent Van Gogh, Ted Turner and Buzz Aldrin. The answer is: Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar Disorder (also known as Manic Depression or Clinical Depresssion) is an illness that can seriously affect the sufferer’s quality of life, as well as the lives of their family and friends. Depression is not the only component of this debilitating disease, but drastic mood swings, negative energy and reckless behaviour puts Bipolar Disorder in a mental illness category of its own, and it cannot be compared to other depressive conditions. It is however caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, like other depressive disorders.

As the name suggests, Bipolar Disorder is characterised by the patient’s mood swinging between two poles, i.e. depression (the low) and mania (the high) with normal periods in-between the two. The disease often starts in adolescence, although it has been known to appear in early childhood and in adult life. It is often first diagnosed as depression. A mood swing, high or low, can last hours, days, weeks and even months. Statistics show that Bipolar Disorder affects over two million people in the United States alone. The illness knows no boundaries and is found in all spectrums of race, class, culture or lifestyle. It has however been established that the disease is strongly genetic and is likely to re-occur in a family with a history of Bipolar Disorder. Men and women are affected equally.

A depressive mood swing carries the risk of suicide and other forms of self-harm, while a manic mood swings brings on feelings of euphoric happiness, a sense of power and the will to indulge in destructive activities such as frequent gambling, spending sprees or living the high life with little, or no, thought of the dangers or consequences involved. Angry or verbally aggressive outbursts, low self-esteem and feelings of guilt are also common symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. A small number of patients are even more productive and efficiently during a manic stage; however they are in the minority. Due to the fact that many sufferers of Bipolar Disorder smoke, it is thought that nicotine may be providing a form of self-medication because of its powerful effects on the brain.

These are known as ‘episodes’. As there are no scientific tests to diagnose Bipolar Disorder, it has been argued that most people experience depression and some form of behavioural changes during their lives, but this does not mean they are bipolar. A mental health professional will only diagnose Bipolar Disorder after establishing the frequency of the episodes (more than four a year is the rule of thumb), and that the cause of the depression is unknown; in other words, it is not triggered by the loss of a family member or some other traumatic event.

If you suspect that you, or a family member or friend, is showing signs of Bipolar Disorder, start to keep a record of the behaviour as well as the severity and frequency of episodes of mania or depression. The mental health professional will take all this into account. Do not try and diagnose Bipolar Disorder on your own.

All people have good and bad days, but those suffering with Bipolar Disorder will show an extreme difference in the peaks. When they are up, they are really up, and when they are down, they are really down. Bipolar Disorder can get worse if not treated, so it’s important to start treatment as soon as possible.

Once Bipolar Disorder has been diagnosed, the mental health professional will commence treatment straight away. This requires prescribing the right medication in the form of mood stabilizers. Finding the right medication can often be problematic may require the patient to try various medications with varying doses. Fortunately when the right medication has been found, the patient will soon show signs of improvement. Mood stabilizers also alleviate depression which, in turn, decreases the incidence of relapse. A person who suffers Bipolar Disorder will need to continue using mood stabilizers to keep the disorder under control. Patients with Bipolar Disorder should not rely solely on medication to keep their condition under control. They need to commit to a healthy lifestyle, refrain from drinking too much alcohol and putting themselves in situations which could trigger a relapse. It is advisable to also have regular sessions of therapy, particularly group sessions. Relieving the symptoms due to medication is only the first stage in the recovery of Bipolar Disorder. Real recovery starts when the patient no longer lets the illness control their life.