Bipolar disorder (BPD) shows up in around one percent of all children. The disorder is marked by extreme mood swings ranging from mania (high energy and euphoria) to depression. BPD also produces flashes of anger and even aggression. Irritability and aggressiveness are also common to autism.
Fox News radio personality Tom Sullivan recently referred to bipolar disorder as “the latest fad.” He claimed the diagnosis was invented by the mental health profession to exploit the masses for profit, and stated his belief that bipolar disorder was neither a disease nor a disability. Sullivan was responding to a caller on his talk …
Bipolar Disorder ‘Invented Fad,’ Fox News Host Says Read More »
Women with a history of severe bipolar disorder have a much higher chance of giving birth to their children prematurely, a new study finds.
Mental disorders like depression, anxiety and eating disorders have a tendency to surface during periods of significant hormonal changes, such as adolescence, menopause or pregnancy. The period following childbirth could be a time of vulnerability for women diagnosed with depression. Dr. Verinder Sharma, a psychiatrist from Canada’s Western University, says that changes during childbirth can …
Postpartum Depression Could Transition to Bipolar Disorder Read More »
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder affecting literally millions of Americans. Some of those struggling to overcome intense mood swings are brand new mothers. A study of women with various kinds of mental health disorders found that pregnant and post-partum moms with bipolar may have the toughest time of all. Researchers from Brown University conducted …
Parents can pass along physical characteristics and even mannerisms to their offspring. Unfortunately, they can also pass along genes for illnesses like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Researchers recently investigated how family history impacts bipolar disorder. Through the STEP-BP (Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder) study researchers found that a family history of mania …
Family History of Bipolar Disorder May Make the Illness More Severe Read More »
For people with bipolar disorder maintaining relationships are a crucial part of their overall ability to cope. There are many roles loved ones can fill, like recognizing the signs of an oncoming episode, helping manage those episodes and assist with getting the person back on their treatment track afterwards.
While there are mental disorders that carry an increased risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, there has been little understanding of how to determine when a patient is most at risk. Understanding the risk factors for suicide and developing prevention strategies could be effective in reducing suicide attempts by those with bipolar and major …
Factors That Influence Suicide in People With Depression and Bipolar Disorder Read More »
Bipolar disorder is more than just good days and bad days. It’s a mental health disorder that can impair a person’s normal routine. The highs of mania are distressingly high and often include any number of unpleasant repercussions. The lows of depression are crushing, sometimes even life threatening.
Bipolar disorder is most often diagnosed during one’s college years. Dr. Russ Federman and J. Anderson Thomson Jr, both of the University of Virginia (UVA), know the challenges that college students with bipolar must negotiate during their years of intense studying, new social encounters and life away from home structure. In their book, Facing Bipolar: …