We Are More Than The Doctor's Paper

8-Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder, also known as Manic-Depressive illness, is a brain disorder causing unusual shifts in mood, energy, activities levels, and ability to carry out day to day activities.

There are four types of Bipolar Disorders

Bipolar 1 Disorder- manic episodes lasting at least 7 days. Depressive episodes occur as well, typically lasting 2 weeks. Episodes of both are also possible.

Bipolar 2 Disorder-pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes but not full blown as stated above.

Cyclothymic Disorder(cyclothymia)-numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms as well as numerous periods of depressive symptoms last for at least 2 weeks. Symptoms don't meet diagnostic requirements for hypomanic and depressive episodes.

Other Specified and Unspecified Bipolar and Related Disorders-symptoms that do not match the three categories above

Manic Episode Symptoms include: feeling "up" or "high, lots of energy, increased activity levels, feeling "jumpy" or "weird", trouble sleeping, talking really fast about things, irritable or "touchy", feeling that thoughts are going fast.

Depressive Episode Symptoms include: feeling down, sad, empty, etc, little energy, decreased energy levels, trouble sleeping (too little or too much), can't enjoy anything, worried/empty, trouble concentrating, forgetting things, eat too little or too much, think about suicide or death

(www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topic/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml)

2.6% (5.7 million) people 18 years and older in the U.S. have a Bipolar Disorder

(www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-disorder-statistics.html)

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Ciao! My name is Valentine Dawson, but everyone calls me Val. I have a bipolar disorder. I was diagnosed with it my sophomore year of college. My roommate, who was also my childhood friend, took me to the hospital after I almost hurt not just myself, but another friend of ours.

Everything started in November of my freshman year when I became depressed. I was use to being this was occasionally, however, this lasted for a year. A year of feeling empty, suicidal, sleepy, and down. I couldn't concentrate in class and almost failed my first year of college. Luckily, I had such great friends who helped me out. The next year, my sophomore year, my depression ceased. Everything was back to normal. Even my friends were happy to see me smiling and joking again. A few weeks after the depression ended, everything changed. I went from one extreme to another. I became very active and crazy. I stayed awake for days at a time until I passed out. I talked really fast and at times no one could understand what I was saying. It was like I was talking in another language. One day after one of my classes, I headed back to my dorm where my two friends were. I walked in on them laughing and cracking up. For some reason I became really angry and attacked one of them. My childhood friend got me away from the guy and took me on a walk.

" Val," he said to me. " I've been doing some research and I think you might be bipolar."

I thought he was crazy. Me bipolar?

" I want to you to go to the hospital and see a doctor. Hell, I'll even come for support."

After bugging me for a few days, I finally let him take me to the doctor and sure enough I'm bipolar. I was put on medication, but it didn't help. I fell back into a depression state and tried to take my own life. That's how I ended up here. They said I was danger to myself. I lost everything. My will to live and the people I cared about.