This month's article is about Bipolar Personality Disorder, which is often confused with other mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, borderline hyperactivity, etc.
Because bipolar disorder affects more than 30 million people worldwide and is one of the 20 most common causes of disability. Among the reasons. 2% of Europeans experience bipolar disorder at some point in their lives. Bipolar disorder is most common in young adults, and half of all cases begin before age 25. Recently, the World Health Organization World Mental Health Research Initiative has shown that two-thirds of patients with Bipolar disorder experience anxiety disorders and more than one-third experience substance use disorders. Despite these serious effects, less than half of people with bipolar disorder receive treatment for this disease (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).
Bipolar disorder, bipolar affective disorder, or formerly known as manic depressive personality disorder, is actually a mood disorder and It is defined as the fluctuation of a person's mood between the euphoric period we call mania and the depression state we call depression.
Everyone has times when they feel very cheerful or very depressed. However, people with bipolar personality disorder unfortunately experience these two opposite states with frequent fluctuations and cannot manage their emotional regulation. To give an example, I would like to share a memory I saw in the field: Person P had bipolar disorder and often felt depressed, experiencing very sharp and rapid emotional transitions. P, who came to the hospital when he was in a state of euphoria, i.e. mania, remained in a manic state for a while. During this process, he makes sudden changes in his appearance (for example, he shaves his head); As his impulsivity increased, he could lose self-control and become aggressive, had sleeping problems, and pushed the limits in matters such as shopping and driving fast. At the same time, as his sensitivity increased, he could have unrealistic thoughts and had difficulty making decisions.
P, who experienced all kinds of emotions and events in the most intense way, quickly entered the depression phase after the manic period. Because of not being able to find the enthusiasm, energy and even self-confidence that he used to feel in this period. He found himself in depression. The good news is that P was able to get back to his old self with a comprehensive and accurate treatment plan. With the necessary medical support (treatment should definitely start with medical help) and individual psycho-education, he learns to regulate his emotions and lives a more stabilized life with the support of his medications. (The patient's name was not used for privacy reasons.)
What causes bipolar disorder?
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Serious life events (sexual abuse, death, etc.)
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Childhood traumas (abuse, systematic devaluation, etc.)
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Genetic Predisposition (presence of bipolar disorder in relatives or parents)
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Possibility of gene mutation due to pregnancy at later ages
What can be done?
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In this disease , especially the supervision and support of the patient's relatives are very valuable, because the person may become prone to attempts such as self-harm and suicide.
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People with bipolar disorder may frequently experience loss of function (self-destruction). neglect of care, escape from responsibilities, escape from working life, etc.), in such cases, loss of life should be prevented and, if possible, quality of life should be increased.
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Medical and psychological support should be continued regularly.
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Medical and psychological support should be continued regularly.
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Stigmatization should not be done.
As the Bipolar Life Association says, "From extremes to balance..."
***THIS ARTICLE WAS STRICTLY NOT WRITTEN FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT PURPOSES. THE CONTENT HAS BEEN PREPARED TO RAISE SOCIAL AWARENESS.***
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