Numerous studies have shown that there is an increase in mental health problems, especially among the young generation. Some of the major causes of mental health issues include high costs of living, drug abuse, and misaligned beliefs. It is estimated that an average youth starts exhibiting signs of depression after graduating from the university.
Most times, bipolar disorder is confused with depression. What sets the two apart? To establish a contrast between bipolar disorder and depression, you first need to understand what causes each condition. You should also understand the signs and behavioral characteristics a bipolar disorder patient exhibits, and how they are distinctively different from those of a depression patient.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
A bipolar patient displays periodic shifts in moods. The shifts vary from excess happiness bursts to extreme sadness and silence. Bipolar disorder has no scientific cause, but is considered to be inherited genetically or developed after experiencing extremely traumatic events in life.
For children, online psychiatry services Michigan facilitate convenient diagnosis and immediate treatment. Treating bipolar disorder in its early stages is very important for the patient because it reduces the chances of progressive mental damage.
Understanding a bipolar patient is difficult, especially if you have no prior encounter with such a patient. The patient is misunderstood as they are regularly morphing into different characters due to changes in energy levels. Here are signs that will help you identify a bipolar disorder patient;
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Severe Cases of Insomnia
Bipolar patients have difficulty getting sleep. The frequent shifts in moods and hormones in the body of a bipolar patient alter the circadian rhythm, the natural rhythmic flow of their body functions. Insomnia in bipolar patients often leads to periodic collapsing and shifts in concentration.
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Irritability and High Aggression Levels
Irritability refers to a patient having massive anger outbursts over small things that a mentally healthy person may find minute. A bipolar patient may portray violence and loss of control over minimal issues.
There have been cases where bipolar patients have caused severe bodily harm to themselves and to other people as well. Aggression makes the patient very obsessive over the issues or people causing them discomfort drug detox massachusetts.
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Hyperactivity
Hyperactivity is a situation where a bipolar patient focuses a lot of mental and physical energy on a task. Usually, hyperactivity is the most noticeable symptom in a bipolar patient. Channeling all their energy into a task allows bipolar patients to attain a polished sense of creativity, which is visible in the results of the task they are carrying out.
What is Depression, and How Does It Differ from Bipolar Disorder?
Depression is a constant feeling of low energy. It is characterized by sadness, loneliness, and an extreme sense of worthlessness. A bipolar patient experiences some outbursts of high energy, while a depressed patient only experiences low energy throughout. Depression has a lot of negative mental health consequences, such as a reduction of the brain’s gray matter and its neurotransmission ability.
A depressed person will find it very difficult to maintain a relationship or even produce results at work. Depression occurs as a result of traumatic events, diagnosis of chronic diseases, or sabotaging one’s life through alcohol and substance abuse. The most vulnerable people are those subjected to abuse in their childhood. Chronic depression has dire repercussions, such as suicidal thoughts or psychotic behavior.
Is there Hope for Bipolar and Depression Patients?
Certainly, there is hope for bipolar and depression patients. The best way to help the patients is through treatment. There are psychiatrists who specialize in treating bipolar and depressed patients. Mostly, depression treatment is administered through antidepressant medication and psychotherapy sessions.
Mental support, lifestyle adjustment, mood stabilization drugs, and therapy sessions are a great combination for treating bipolar disorder.
Conclusion
Mental health problems affect everyone in various ways. Indeed, stigmatizing bipolar and depression patients should be condemned. There are a lot of government and non-governmental agencies who are currently advocating for psychiatric help. Modernization in the medical field has also brought a paradigm shift in service delivery, such that a bipolar patient can get psychiatric help anonymously from the comfort of their home. The future of mental health is bent on making experienced psychiatrists available to mental health patients through the Internet.