Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is basically where unexpected, unplanned and unwelcomed rollercoaster patterns of energy, motivation and risk-taking activity occurs. This can make everyday tasks almost impossible: attending school, college, work, or managing money, household bills, caring for children, supporting parents. Further it can influence and increase patterns of unprescribed drug taking, gambling or alcohol misuse. Another aspect of Bipolar can be lying and trying to cover up one's tracks.
There can be many reasons why Bipolar first occurs, but the effect is destructive devastating and highly unpredictable. For example you may be feeling very depressed and inactive for a period, then relatively 'normal' for a period, then suddenly very manic, high and overly-optimistic. In this mania phase the level of risk taking increases dramatically and often the person cannot relax, sleep, eat or stop talking.
There is another form of Bipolar called Rapid-Cycling Bipolar Disorder. This is where the unpredictable swing and rollercoaster of mood and energy, can change within minutes, hours or days. This is more acute and disturbing than standard Bipolar, where rollercoaster periods can at least last for weeks or months.
People often say that when they are at their high manic level, they feel much more lively, more intelligent, funnier, quicker and more able to function, than when they are at their 'normal' level. The biggest hurdle lies with schools, colleges, universities or employers, who mistakenly assume these clinical surges are voluntary negative behaviours. This is totally incorrect as Bipolar Disorder and Rapid-Cycling Bipolar Disorder are involuntary surges in energy, concentration, risk-taking and activity. Sometimes, and more recently, Bipolar Disorder is described or diagnosed as Bipolar Affective Disorder, with the attempt to emphasise external effects rather than the internal and involuntary surges.
As yet there appears to be no agreed, single, known definitive reason for why Bipolar Disorder occurs in about 11% of the population. However, varied opinions think that it is partly or wholly somehow connected with fluctuating levels of Serotonin and/or Dopamine in the brain. This creates not the best daily levels to effectively function, feel stable and operate in the best daily levels to effectively function, feel stable and operate in the best or preferred way.