The Ups and Downs of Bipolar Disorder
by Randy Dellosa, MD
Published: April 9, 2013
What do Jim Carey, Ben Stiller, Mel Gibson, Jean
Claude Van Damme, and Catherine Zeta-Jones
have in common? Besides being celebrities, they
are also known to have bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric condition which
involves extreme mood swings. The term
“bipolar” means “having two poles,” just like the
earth has a north pole and a south pole. In
bipolar disorder, the two poles refer to two
extreme moods, namely, mania and major
depression. Hence, bipolar disorder is also
called “manic-depressive” disorder.
People who suffer from bipolar disorder swing
from long bouts of depression to long bouts of
mania. When we say “long bouts,” the mania
and major depression may last for weeks,
months, or even years.
Mania is characterized by the following
symptoms: an extremely happy or angry mood,
extreme talkativity, mental hyperactivity such
that many thoughts race through one’s mind,
physical hyperactivity as shown through
simultaneous involvement in many activities,
impulsivity especially manifested through
spending sprees or by being overly generous,
and the lack of desire to sleep.
Major depression, on the other hand, is
characterized by the following symptoms:
changes in the sleep pattern, changes in
appetite, decreased energy level, decreased
self-confidence and self-worth, a pessimistic
mindset full of worries, fears, and concerns,
poor concentration, loss of motivation and
zest for living, lingering feelings of sadness
and irritability, and possibly even thoughts
of death or suicide.
Bipolar disorder is caused by neurochemical
imbalances in the brain. The age of onset is
usually in the teenage years, although it may
appear later on in life. The cycle of bipolar
disorder usually starts off with a major
depression which is triggered by an
emotionally stressful event. The depressed
mood later shifts to a manic mood. There is
strong evidence that bipolar disorder is
transmitted through the genes.
Bipolar disorder is a treatable condition. The
treatment package for bipolar disorder should
include mood-stabilizing medications,
psychotherapy, stress management
techniques, and wellness therapies.
The primary treatment for bipolar disorder
is mood-stabilizing medication. When the
right mood-stabilizing medication is taken
at the right dosage, the patient should
experience significant improvement within
two to three weeks. Ideally, the patient
should not also experience any side-effects
when taking the medications otherwise,
the medication should be changed. Side-
effects may include headaches, stomach
upset, palpitations, allergies, loss of
appetite, emotional numbness, etc.
Psychotherapy is an important part of
the treatment plan because emotional
problems often trigger the bipolar disorder.
As for wellness therapies, the person with
bipolar disorder may undergo regular
exercise, acupuncture, and massage
sessions. It may also be helpful to take
Omega-3 fish oil at two to three times a
day and a high-potency Vitamin B complex
tablet daily.
People with bipolar disorder don’t have to
suffer from the extreme ups and downs of
their emotions. Through proper treatment,
they can get off their emotional roller-
coaster ride and have a more emotionally-
stable journey through life.
Holistic Healing for You
Randy Dellosa, MD
Doc Randy, is known as the life coach-
psychotherapist of Filipino celebrities. He is
reputed to be the first and so far the only
Filipino who is both a psychiatrist (M.D.) and
a doctor of clinical psychology (Psy.D.)
psychotherapist of Filipino celebrities. He is
reputed to be the first and so far the only
Filipino who is both a psychiatrist (M.D.) and
a doctor of clinical psychology (Psy.D.)
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