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Manic Depression or Bipolar
Illness is a mood disorder. People who suffer from manic depression
have mood swings from severe depression to extreme highs or "mania."
There generally are periods of normal moods in between the two extremes.
Sometimes these mood swings are dramatic and rapid, but most often
swings are gradual. The nature and severity of this disorder varies
with the individual person.
Manic Depression generally strikes before the age
of 35. Nearly 1 in 100 people will suffer from this disorder at
some point in their lives.
Signs of Manic Depression:
Periods of depression are characterized by:
- Increase or decrease in appetite and weight
- Sleep disturbance; sleeping too little or sleeping
too much in an irregular pattern
- Loss of energy; excessive fatigue or tiredness
- Decreased sexual drive
- Decreased ability to think, concentrate, or
remember
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
which may become unreasonable
- Recurrent thoughts of death or self harm, wishing
to be dead or thinking of, or attempting suicide
- Aches, pains, constipation that cannot otherwise
be explained
Periods of mania are characterized by:
- Persistent "high" or irritable mood
states
- Appetite disturbance
- Decreased need for sleep, sometimes for days
- Hyperactivity
- Increased sexuality
- Rapid speech, at times being incoherent
- Racing thoughts which result in disorganized
speech
- Loss of self control and judgement (this can
result in impulsive shopping sprees, to grand delusions of ability,
strength, etc.)
- Easily distracted
If you or someone you appears
to suffer from the signs of Manic Depression, call for help.
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