Coming To Terms With Bipolar Affective Disorders

Affective disorders are a type of mental illness characterized by alterations in mood that affects thought processes, behaviors and emotions of the sufferer. Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is one of these disorders. The principle symptoms of this condition include cycling mood swings; from intense and debilitating depression to overwhelming feelings of euphoria. There are two types of bipolar: bipolar type I and bipolar type II. Bipolar type II is characterized by less intense mood shifts as compared to bipolar type II.

The bipolar malady affects the brain, so it is identified as a mental illness. It occurs because of irregularities in the area of the brain known as the hippocampus. Individuals who suffer from bipolar affective disorder experience intense shifts in mood; highs and lows that are extreme and beyond normal intensity. Often individuals are unable to function properly at work or at home when mood swings persist in frequency. This can also result in faulty decision-making skills and strained relations with family and friends.

In order to diagnose someone with one of the two types of bipolar affective disorders, there may be other special circumstances and conditions that may also cause bipolar medical symptoms and must be ruled out. The person's medical history will be thoroughly scrutinized for any previous records of mental illness. The individual's family history will also be reviewed for any prior information on similar mood illness symptoms. Blood tests are also used to help diagnose bipolar affective disorder.

Bipolar disorder has been identified with two classifications, and physicians make the diagnosis based on the symptoms that the person displays. Type I is diagnosed when an individual suffers at least one manic episode or mixed episodes of fluctuating moods between mania and depression, often occurring very quickly, in addition to at least one episode of major depression.

Type II is less severe, and is characterized by at least one major depressive episode and at least one manic episode; or an episode in which the individual experiences a happy mood, but not so much as to prevent good judgment and functioning.

Although there is no known cure for manic depression, scientists and researchers are making breakthroughs in understanding affective disorders every day. They are confident that better treatments and even cures will be developed to aid in the treatment. In the meantime, there are medications and other treatments that can help those who suffer from mood disorders to get relief from some of their symptoms.