“Untreated bipolar disorder can worsen with age, with both the frequency of mood episodes and their duration,” says Thomas Scary, MD, MA, staff psychiatrist, Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates in Philadelphia. “This is true even with treatment, but to a lesser extent.”
In most cases, bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness that will continue to require treatment, but attending a residential treatment program that includes an individualized treatment plan can help to stabilize mood swings and stop symptoms from getting worse with age.
Perspective, vision, and presence are three coping skills that help bipolar depression on a deep level because they help you broaden your thoughts and fine-tune your actions. These activities are intentional and lead you to action while also respecting the fact that depression is difficult.
In short, bipolar disorder may sound like a serious diagnosis, but with the right tools, supports and a commitment to be healthy, it is manageable for many. Not only can you live a normal life with bipolar disorder, you can lead a full and rewarding life.
Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness with the peak age of onset between 20 and 40 years.
With ongoing treatment and self-management, people with bipolar disorder can maintain a stable mood for extended periods. During intervals of recovery, they may have few or no symptoms. Although periods of recovery are possible for some people with bipolar disorder, others may not have them.
People with bipolar experience both episodes of severe depression and episodes of mania – overwhelming joy, excitement or happiness, huge energy, a reduced need for sleep, and reduced inhibitions. The experience of bipolar is uniquely personal. No two people have exactly the same experience.
Bipolar disorder can cause your mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. Manic symptoms can include increased energy, excitement, impulsive behaviour, and agitation. Depressive symptoms can include lack of energy, feeling worthless, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.
People with bipolar disorder can work, but they may face challenges. Many mental health conditions can make it difficult for a person to carry out day-to-day responsibilities, especially in the workplace.
The cognitive dysfunction and mild structural brain alterations seen in patients with bipolar disorder suggest a model of accelerated aging. The clinical stages of bipolar disorder can range from a latent or asymptomatic form (stage 0) to a chronic, end-stage presentation (stage IV).
What's the link between bipolar and dementia? The risk of developing dementia is much higher among people who've had bipolar disorder, according to several studies.
Are my periods of happiness just mania? My short answer is: Yes, a person who lives with bipolar disorder can certainly be truly happy.
Some people living with bipolar disorder may have difficulty completing tasks, including personal hygiene and chores. This could lead you to face cluttering, messiness, and disorganization during episodes of both mania or depression.
Living with bipolar disorder does not mean that a person will experience difficulty making and maintaining friendships. However, without suitable treatment and a support network, symptoms of the condition may put a strain on relationships.
This was a question recently asked of me, “can people with a mental illness, like bipolar disorder, live alone?” The answer to me was obvious – yes! Absolutely. Of course a person, even with a serious mental illness, can live alone.
Bipolar disorder can arrest a person's emotional maturity and produce behavior that appears very childish and reckless. Please remember, however, that while someone who has bipolar may act like a child, there is an adult underneath.
A stressful circumstance or situation often triggers the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Examples of stressful triggers include: the breakdown of a relationship. physical, sexual or emotional abuse.