Bipolar I – Manic Depressive

Definition
 Bipolar 1 is the type most easily diagnosed as it contains the most pronounced elevated mood, called
mania. A person with bipolar 1 (also noted as bipolar i) has episodes of both mania and depression.
The presence of these episodes are the hallmark symptoms of bipolar I.

Causes:
 Unknown

 Involves deregulation of brain functioning

 Genetic component/ Hereditary

Depression Symptoms:
 Decreased appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and weight gain

 Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions

 Fatigue, decreased energy, being "slowed down"

 Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness

 Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism

 Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

 Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex

 Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders,
and chronic pain

 Persistently sad, anxious, or "empty" moods

 Restlessness, irritability

 Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts

Signs of Mania in Bipolar Disorder:

• Disconnected and very fast (racing) thoughts

• Grandiose beliefs

• Inappropriate elation or euphoria

• Inappropriate irritability

• Inappropriate social behavior

• Increased sexual desire

• Increased talking speed or volume

• Markedly increased energy

 • Poor judgment

• A decreased need for sleep due to high energy

Facts
 Bipolar disorder usually appears between ages 15 and 24 and persists through a lifetime. It's rare that
newly diagnosed mania is seen in young children or in adults over age 65.

 Severity of symptoms varies with individuals who have bipolar disorder. While some people have a few
symptoms, others have many that impair their ability to work and live a normal life.

 Marked by relapses and remissions, bipolar disorder has a high rate of recurrence if untreated. Patients
with severe mania usually require hospitalization to keep them from risky behaviors. Those who are
severely depressed also might need hospitalization to keep them from acting on suicidal thoughts or
psychotic symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking)

 About 90% of individuals with bipolar I disorder, which is the more serious form, have at least one
psychiatric hospitalization. Two out of three will have two or more hospitalizations in their lifetime.