Bipolar disorder is a type of mental health condition which is often misunderstood by most people. It is characterized as severe mood changes, manic or hypomanic episodes. And these episodes impact daily activities, mood, behavior, and personal as well as professional life. The name itself describes the condition where there are rapid changes in symptoms between poles of extreme high and extreme lows. Moreover, there is no single cause of bipolar disorder. Living with bipolar disorder is quite challenging not for the individual who has the disorder but also for the other members of the family and surroundings. Though there are tons of myths people have for bipolar disorder.
Let’s read some surprising facts about this that will also help to break through the misinformation and myths related to it.
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It can affect children
According to research, it shows that most people at the age of 25-30 years are more likely to cause bipolar disorder. But it can even occur in children and teens. Children with bipolar disorder may have severe, violent fits for a long time and then act extremely happy at other times. It’s important to understand that it can appear at any age and to anyone. From children to adults both can have periods of intense activity.
Individuals can experience symptoms of both mania and depression at the same time
There are mixed episodes that involve high energy and activity of mania and depression. These periods are very dangerous and life-threatening. In most cases, it requires immediate care and hospitalization. According to a 2015 paper, around 40% of bipolar disorder patients experience a mixed episode at some point in their lives, and it’s quite normal to encounter such mixed episodes.
A healthy lifestyle keeps depression and bipolar disorder in control
No doubt, medication and psychotherapy are considered best for it but a good healthy lifestyle can also help to a great extent. A healthy lifestyle helps to get rid of mood swings and stabilize other symptoms as well. A good diet, yoga, meditation, proper sleep, and diet work great to manage symptoms better. There are many people with bipolar disorder living successful careers, happy lives, and healthy relationships because of a solid support system, healthy lifestyle, and regular treatment.
People with bipolar disorder can lead a healthy and happy life
It’s a fact that people with this have a challenging life but still, it’s possible to live a healthy and happening lifestyle. With proper support and treatment, people can have a stable lifestyle. Taking care of yourself is key to managing bipolar disorder. Along with regular bipolar disorder treatment, maintaining a consistent routine can help to control sudden manic and depressive episodes.
Medications can affect pregnancy and birth control.
It’s true that symptoms of this can become worse during pregnancy. According to a study, it shows that women who are pregnant are seven times more likely to have risks than women who do not have it. Some women continue taking bipolar medications and have healthy babies. But a few bipolar medications have an increased risk of birth defects in the first trimester.
It’s not easy to diagnose-
People often get confused between depressive episodes and manic episodes. Thus, it takes a while to get a proper diagnosis, and more often it gets misdiagnosed as depression. It is considered an elusive type of disorder that takes a long time to diagnose because symptoms can vary widely. A proper bipolar diagnosis requires at least one depressive and one manic or hypomanic episode, symptoms other than this can take a while to find the root cause and problem. Doctors and psychiatrists mainly suspect it based on the patterns of symptoms.
The lengths of moods episodes can vary from person to person
It’s likely to be true that the intensity and levels of depressive moods vary. Someone can manifest and improve better after going through a depressive episode while another can be completely opposite. In some cases, the cycle lasts only for days while in some it can take weeks and months. It can look very different in different people. The symptoms vary widely in their pattern, severity, and frequency.
It is a lifelong mental health condition that should be monitored for a lifetime. However, symptoms can be managed to a great extent. And Bipolar disorder requires long-term treatment. Since bipolar disorder is a chronic, relapsing illness. There are many different sources of information related to medical news online one can easily look up to. Lastly, living with untreated bipolar disorder can lead to problems in everything. As there is no proper cure for bipolar disorder. If an individual spots the symptoms of bipolar disorder or in someone else should consult a doctor or psychiatrist as soon as possible.