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Mood Disorders
Bipolar Affective Disorder previously known as Manic Depression is a chronic medical condition that happens to cause unusual shifts in someone’s mood, energy, and ability to function. The symptoms that someone who has bipolar disorder is very extreme and different from a person’s normal high and lows.
Bipolar Affective Disorder - Depressive Episodes Behavioral Characteristics:
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Intense feeling of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness and guilt
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Social withdrawal from peers and loss of interest in usual activities that they usually find pleasure in.
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Loss of confidence
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Trouble with memory and concentration
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Decrease in school performance
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Anxiety, restlessness, and difficulty making decisions
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Increased alcohol and/or drug abuse
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Rapid weight loss, severe sleep problems or feeling fatigue
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Hallucinations and/or delusions
Bipolar Affective Disorder - Manic Episodes Behavioral Characteristics
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More energy then usual and less desire need for sleep, rapid speech
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Feelings of euphoria, inflated self-esteem
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Racing thoughts, poor judgment, overestimation of abilities
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Easily distracted
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Increased sexual drive
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Denial of anything being wrong, unrealistic schemes,
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Rapid mood changes
DID YOU KNOW?
Recognize her? We included her on our Famous Faces pages! Singer, Song writer, and actor Demi Lovato was diagnosed with Bipolar Affective Disorder in October 2010 after submitting herself into rehab for Drug Addiction, Anorexia and Bulimia, as well as Self-Harming. In a recent interview opening about her struggles with Bipolar and Depression she stated, "There were times I felt so anxious, almost like I was crawling out of my skin - that if I didn't do something physical to match the way I felt inside, I would explode. I cut myself to take my mind off that. I just didn't care what happened. I had no fear. I've spent the past two years getting over an eating disorder and issues like self-harming and bipolar disorder. I have to work on this stuff every day. I'm reminded of that whenever I eat or feel down. "
Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, 2012
Depression - Depression is severe, typically prolonged, feelings of despondency and dejection. It is a "whole body" illness that involves the mood, thoughts, and behaviors of a person.
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