Overview - Bipolar disorder - NHS

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects your moods, which can swing from 1 extreme to another. It used to be known as manic depression. Skiptomaincontent Home Mentalhealth Mentalhealthconditions Bipolardisorder Backto Bipolardisorder Overview-Bipolardisorder Bipolardisorderisamentalhealthconditionthataffectsyourmoods,whichcanswingfrom1extremetoanother.Itusedtobeknownasmanicdepression. Symptomsofbipolardisorder Peoplewith bipolardisorderhaveepisodesof:depression – feelingverylowandlethargicmania – feelingveryhighandoveractiveSymptomsofbipolardisorderdependonwhichmoodyou'reexperiencing.Unlikesimplemoodswings,eachextremeepisodeofbipolardisordercanlastforseveralweeks(orevenlonger). Depression Youmayinitiallybediagnosedwith clinicaldepressionbeforeyouhaveamanicepisode(sometimesyearslater),afterwhich youmaybe diagnosedwith bipolardisorder.Duringanepisodeofdepression,youmayhaveoverwhelmingfeelingsofworthlessness,whichcanpotentiallyleadtothoughtsofsuicide.Ifyou'refeelingsuicidal,readaboutwheretogeturgenthelpformentalhealth.Ifyou'refeelingverydepressed,contactaGP,yourcareco-ordinatororspeaktoalocalmentalhealthcrisisteamassoonaspossible.FindalocalNHSurgentmentalhealthhelplineYoucouldalsocallNHS111ifyou'renotsurewhattodoorifyoucannotspeaktoyourlocalNHSurgentmentalhealthhelpline.Ifyouwanttotalktosomeoneconfidentially,calltheSamaritansfree on116123.Youcantalktothem 24hoursaday, [email protected]. Mania Duringamanicphaseofbipolardisorder,youmay:feelveryhappyhavelotsofenergy,ambitiousplansandideasspendlargeamountsofmoneyonthingsyoucannotaffordandwouldnotnormallywantIt'salsocommonto:notfeellikeeatingorsleepingtalkquicklybecomeannoyedeasilyYoumayfeelverycreativeandviewthemanicphaseofbipolarasapositiveexperience.Butyoumayalsoexperiencesymptomsof psychosis,whereyouseeorhearthingsthatarenotthereorbecomeconvincedofthingsthatarenottrue. Treatmentsforbipolardisorder Thehighandlowphasesofbipolardisorderareoftensoextremethattheyinterferewitheverydaylife.Butthereareseveraloptionsfor treatingbipolardisorderthatcanmakeadifference.Theyaimtocontroltheeffectsofanepisodeandhelpsomeonewithbipolardisorderlivelifeasnormallyaspossible.Thefollowingtreatmentoptionsareavailable:medicinetopreventepisodesofmaniaanddepression – theseareknownasmoodstabilisers,andyoutakethemeverydayonalong-termbasismedicinetotreatthemainsymptomsofdepressionandmaniawhentheyhappenlearningtorecognisethetriggersandsignsofanepisodeofdepressionormaniapsychologicaltreatment – suchastalkingtherapy,whichcanhelpyoudealwithdepression,andprovidesadviceabouthowtoimproveyourrelationshipslifestyleadvice – suchasdoingregularexercise,planningactivitiesyouenjoythatgiveyouasenseofachievement,aswellasadviceon improvingyourdietandgettingmoresleepIt'sthoughtusingacombinationofdifferenttreatmentmethodsisthebestwaytocontrolbipolardisorder.Helpandadviceforpeoplewithalong-termconditionortheircarers isalsoavailable fromcharities,supportgroupsandassociations.Thisincludesself-helpandlearningto dealwiththepracticalaspectsofalong-termcondition. Findoutmoreaboutlivingwithbipolardisorder Bipolardisorderandpregnancy Bipolardisorder,likeallothermentalhealthproblems,cangetworseduringpregnancy.Butspecialisthelpisavailableifyouneedit.Findoutmoreaboutbipolardisorderinpregnancy Whatcausesbipolardisorder? Theexact causeofbipolardisorder isunknown,althoughit'sbelievedanumberofthingscantriggeranepisode.Theseinclude:extremestressoverwhelmingproblemslife-changingeventsgeneticandchemicalfactors Who'saffected Bipolardisorderisfairlycommon,and1inevery100peoplewillbediagnosedwithitatsomepointintheirlife.Bipolardisordercanoccuratanyage,althoughitoftendevelopsbetweentheagesof15and19andrarelydevelopsafter40.Menandwomenfromallbackgroundsareequallylikelyto developbipolardisorder.Thepatternofmoodswingsinbipolardisordervarieswidely.Forexample,somepeopleonlyhaveacoupleofbipolarepisodesintheirlifetimeand arestableinbetween,whileothershavemanyepisodes. Bipolardisorderanddriving Ifyouhavebipolardisorder, it mayaffectyourdriving.YoumustinformtheDriverandVehicleLicensingAgency(DVLA). Information: SocialcareandsupportguideIfyou:needhelpwithday-to-daylivingbecauseofbipolardisordercareforsomeoneregularlybecausetheyhavebipolardisorder(includingfamilymembers)Ourguidetocareandsupportexplainsyouroptionsandwhereyoucangetsupport. Morein Bipolardisorder Overview-Bipolardisorder Symptoms-Bipolardisorder Causes-Bipolardisorder Diagnosis-Bipolardisorder Treatment-Bipolardisorder Livingwith-Bipolardisorder Pagelastreviewed:14March2019 Nextreviewdue:14March2022