Frequently Asked Questions about Bipolar Depression

Many people are curious about the answer to the question, “What is Bipolar?” Bipolar depression is one side of bipolar disorder, and the other is mania. Bipolar II symptoms include feelings of depression and what is called hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic episodes are manic episodes that never reach full mania. Bipolar I symptoms, on the other hand, are when the individual has had at least one full blown manic episode in their life along with episodes of depression.

Here are some frequently asked questions about bipolar depression:

Q: What is the difference between bipolar depression and major depressive disorder?

A: Bipolar depression and mania are the two sides of bipolar disorder. An individual with bipolar disorder struggles with both depression and mania, while someone who has major depressive disorder struggles with the depression aspect only.

Q: How is bipolar depression treated? Is it treated differently than major depressive disorder?

A: Medications used to help treat bipolar depression include mood stabilizers, while medication treatments for major depressive disorder often include SSRI’s and antidepressants. Both bipolar depression and major depressive disorder treatments include behavior therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and group therapy.

Q: How many people struggle with bipolar depression in the United States?

A: Approximately 2.5% of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which is equal to about six million people. Age of onset is usually in the teens or early twenties and people with parents who have bipolar disorder are generally at higher risk of developing it.

Q: What are the symptoms of bipolar depression?

A: Individuals who are experiencing bipolar depression often feel increased fatigue, sadness, irritability, restlessness, and may have difficulty concentrating. They may also sleep too little or too much, feel hopeless and helpless, and experience physical symptoms such as headaches and stomachaches that have no other apparent cause.


Q: How is bipolar depression diagnosed?

A: A doctor will ask to see a mood chart that outlines the individual’s mood, sleep patterns, eating and exercise habits, etc. to be able to accurately diagnose bipolar disorder. A bipolar I diagnosis includes at least one episode of mania in the individual’s lifetime. A bipolar II diagnosis includes episodes of hypomania and episodes of depression.


Are you interested in learning more about bipolar depression and bipolar I symptoms? Visit BPHope.com today. This online magazine is dedicated to helping those who struggle with bipolar disorder and offer dozens of thoughtfully-written articles as well as a community forum.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Symptoms to Recognize in Teenagers with Depression and Anxiety

Both anxiety and depression conditions can be improved, but more than 80% of the kids with anxiety disorder and 60% with depression are not getting proper treatment according to the Child Mind Institute Children’s Mental Health Report.  Anxiety is a normal phase of childhood and each child experiences it at some point. It is usually temporary and harmless, but children with an anxiety disorder experience nervousness, fear, and shyness, and they start isolating themselves socially and look for ways to not get involved in any kind of activity.  A child or a teenager who sees a scary movie and then has trouble in falling asleep can be comforted and reassured. But this is not the case for a child with anxiety; they don’t get past their fear and anxiety. Anxiety disorders affect about 1 in every 8 teenagers. Research shows those teenagers who do not seek help are at a higher risk to being socially isolated, will be more likely to perform poorly in academics, and will...
Read more

What Depression Feels Like

At BPHope.com, they offer help and inspiration for those with depression and bipolar disorder. The two are intimately entwined, and yet are not the same. Depression involves unabating feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, while bipolar disorder is marked by depression with alternating feelings of dangerous euphoria. Many people ask, what is depression? Learning about depression is the first step for people who feel they are suffering from it and want to get help. So what does depression feel like? For some, it feels like this: “It feels like someone is pressing down on my chest with an army boot.” “It’s like trying to run up a hill of mud, just to keep sliding back down.” “It’s like trying to get out of the chair to make myself something to eat and feeling like the task is equal to climbing Mt. Everest.” “It’s like instead of moving through air, I’m moving through syrup.” “It’s like being on fire while I’m drowning. It’s confusing and exhausting.” At BPHope.com, they o...
Read more

Know Someone with Bipolar Mania Disorder? BPHope.com Can Help

Bipolar mania is a serious condition that affects not just the individual but also all of the people around them including family, friends and coworkers. Usually starting in late adolescence, bipolar disorder mania affects 5.7 million adults in America. It can sometimes mask itself as depression in the teen years but it can also begin much later in life and as early as childhood. Although there is gender equality when it comes to bipolar mania , women tend to start with a depressive episode and men tend to start with a manic episode. There is no difference in the number of people with bipolar mania disorder when it comes to ethnic groups or social classes. The disorder is well represented among all ages and races. There is a hereditary aspect to bipolar disorder mania , and there may even be a genetic link. In fact, if both parents have bipolar mania, their children run a 50-75% of also having the condition. Sometimes people don’t even realize they have bipolar mania di...
Read more