Bipolar Disorder

What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness classified under the Mood Disorders. Mood Disorders affect people's emotional states. Depression is another Mood Disorder. People who have Bipolar Disorder have periods (almost always) of depression, and in addition they also have periods of Mania.

Common symptoms of Bipolar Disorder:

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in the Depression phase can include:
  • Sad, depressed mood
  • Loss of interest and pleasure in usual activities
  • Difficulties in sleeping (insomnia); not falling asleep initially, not returning to sleep after awakening in the middle of the night, and early morning awakenings; or, in some patients, a desire to sleep a great deal of the time
  • Shift in activity level, becoming either lethargic (psychomotor retardation) or agitated
  • Poor appetite and weight loss, or increased appetite and weight gain
  • Loss of energy, great fatigue
  • Negative self-concept; self-reproach and self-blame; feelings of worthlessness and guilt
  • Complaints or evidence of difficulty in concentrating, such as slowed thinking and indecisiveness
  • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
    • Who Bipolar Disorder affects
    It is estimated that about 1.2 people out of 100 will suffer from bipolar disorder. Generally, the disease's onset is in early adulthood, but it can strike at a latter age, but when mania is noted in someone later in life, it will more likely be the result of another disorder or a medication problem.

    What causes  Bipolar Disorder?
    The causes of Bipolar Disorder are not completely known but genetic influences are thought to play a primary factor, causing chemical imbalances in the brain.

    Treatment
    This illness is considered one of the most severe of the mental illnesses. But it is also one of the most treatable. There are very good medication therapies that can help a person control the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. Lakeside Alternatives can help with treatment of this mental illness by offering access to medication therapies, outpatient treatment programs, and case management services, where appropriate.

    Services offered to people with bipolar disorder at Lakeside Alternatives
    Lakeside Alternatives offers Medication Clinics, Pharmaceutical Services, Day Treatment, Vocational Services, Case Management, and Emergency Services, as appropriate, to people with the potentially devastating mental illness of Bipolar Disorder.
     
     

    For emergency services or for referral to any of our services, please call or visit the Access Center

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