Recognizing Bipolar Disorder

This is an automatically translated article.

This article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Bui Ngoc Phuong Hoa - Neurosurgeon - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
The pressure of life makes the number of people suffering from bipolar disorder increasing. People with this disease are sometimes depressed and hopeless in daily activities, sometimes excited and excited.

1. What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, an erratic mental state that can cause sudden excitement such as excitement or hyperactivity, sometimes again. fall into depression.
Bipolar disorder is cyclical, alternating between depression and euphoria.
The mood swings of the patient usually appear several times a year or may be several times a week.

2. Signs to recognize bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder can be recognized based on the following signs:

2.1 Relying on emotional cues

When the patient is in a manic state: the patient feels extremely excited, happy, and overly optimistic. Always feel full of energy, happiness, positive thoughts... When in a depressed state: the patient feels bored, tired, or cries for no reason, mentally stagnant...

2.2 Based on behavioral cues

In manic bipolar disorder:
The patient will eat more, be more active to expend energy, Decisive power may be impaired The patient may hear strange voices or see hallucinations Happy feelings Inappropriate pleasure Increases sex drive In a depressed state:
The patient will eat less Be inactive Not like to socialize Too much thinking about death or wanting to commit suicide Bipolar disorder will occur by cycle. The patient's mood will also change by day, week, month or season..
When there are any signs of illness, it is necessary to immediately go to reputable medical facilities for advice and treatment. treatment by medical professionals.

3. Differentiate between bipolar disorder and depression

For effective treatment, an accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder is essential. Distinguishing between bipolar disorder and depression, especially depression from bipolar disorder, is essential because the two conditions differ in their genetics, clinical background, outcome, and treatment.
Patients with bipolar disorder are difficult to diagnose if the patient is depressed and does not have manic or euphoric manifestations.
The only characteristic of unipolar depression is major depression.
Bipolar disorder has 3 different stages:
Major depressive phase, Manic phase, euphoria Depressive phase. Bipolar disorder is a group of serious illnesses. The morbidity and mortality rates are higher than those of depression.

4. Treating Bipolar Disorder

Patients with bipolar disorder cannot be completely cured.
Patients with bipolar disorder need to be seen in medical facilities. After a physical examination, your doctor will diagnose bipolar disorder. You may also be asked to have blood tests, or other tests, to make sure your symptoms aren't caused by another medical condition.
When the results are available, doctors will prescribe lithium-containing drugs to help patients balance emotions. In addition, patients will be monitored continuously for a long time to prevent recurrence of manic bipolar disorder or depressive states. Patients will likely need to take lithium for life if the disease worsens.
In addition, the doctor will use psychotherapy to help the patient treat behavioral disorders and control their thoughts.
People with bipolar disorder need to have a reasonable living regimen: get enough sleep and set a fixed time, not inferiority complex to society, participate in social activities, stay away from stimulants such as: coffee, beer, wine...

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