Bipolar Disorder Presentation

1. Bipolar Disorder
Andrea DeWitte

2. What is Bipolar Disorder?
 Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder
that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to
carry out day-to-day tasks
 People with bipolar disorder go through unusual mood changes, ranging from
periods of extremely “up” or happy to periods of “down” or very sad
 “Up” refers to a manic episode while “down” refers to a depressive episode
 These mood swings are more extreme than just being happy or sad, they can
affect a person’s sleep, energy level, and ability to think clearly
 Bipolar symptoms are so strong that they can damage relationships and make
it hard to go to school or keep a job

3. Symptoms
 People with bipolar disorder experience periods of unusually intense emotion,
changes in sleep patterns and activity levels, and unusual behaviors
Depressive (“Down”) episode symptoms:
• Feel very sad or hopeless
• Have very little energy
• Have decreased activity levels
• Have trouble sleeping
• Feel worried and empty
• Have trouble concentrating
• Eat too much or too little
• Feel tired or exhausted
Manic (“Up”) episode symptoms:
• Feel very “high” or happy
• Have a lot of energy
• Have increased activity levels
• Have trouble sleeping
• Talk really fast
• Be agitated or irritable
• Do risky things
• Think they can do a lot of things at once

4. Prevalence
 Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million
adult Americans every year (2.6% of U.S. adult
population)
 The median age of onset for bipolar disorder is 25
years old, however, the illness can start in early
childhood or even as late as 40-50 years old
 More than 2/3 of people with bipolar disorder have
at least one close relative that also has bipolar
disorder
 People with bipolar disorder are more likely to
have substance abuse issues, anxiety/ADHD, and
psychosis symptoms

5. Causes
 Doctors do not know what causes bipolar disorder, but several things may
contribute to the illness
 Bipolar disorder sometimes runs in the family, therefore heredity is linked to
causing the illness
 Another factor that may lead to bipolar disorder is the brain structure or
brain function of the person with the disorder
 An unexpected stressful event can cause someone to become bipolar

6. Treatment
 Medication: mood stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics, and
antidepressants
 Psychotherapy: “talk therapy” provides support,
education and guidance to people with bipolar disorder
and their families
 Electroconvulsive Therapy: “shock therapy” provides a
quick electric current that can sometimes correct
problems in the brain
 Life chart records daily mood symptoms, treatments,
sleep patterns, and life events that help clients and
doctors track and treat bipolar disorder

7. Work Cited
 https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml
 http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=education_statistics_
bipolar_disorder
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJtXLXQ326A