All About Manic Depression

Manic depression, also known as bioplar disorder, falls into the family of mental illness known as mood disorders.  This means that it effects how a person feels, as opposed to such disorders as schizophrenia that make it difficult for a person to separate what is real from what isn’t.

Mental illnesses are disorders that effect how a person’s brain works.  It is not the type of thing where a person asked for it or can overcome the symptoms by willpower.  With proper treatment, people with mental illnesses, like manic depression, can get help to control their symptoms.  They can have a good quality of life.

What is Manic Depression?

Manic depression affects a person’s moods, giving them periods of greatly elevated moods (“manic”) and low moods (“depression”).  While it is perfectly normal for people to have both high and low moods, the person with manic depression experiences greatly exaggerated highs and lows.  The episodes may come and go, but this is a chronic condition. 

In the manic phase of the disorder, the person may have a decreased need for sleep, an increased energy level, or feelings of being “high”.  He or she might come across as being angry or irritable.  Some people in the manic phase take risks they would not normally take, such as reckless driving or abusing alcohol or drugs.

A very high self-esteem is part of the manic phase.  The person might have a higher-than-usual sex drive as well.  Some people people in this phase of the disorder might spend recklessly.

The depressive part of the illness is quite different from the manic phase.  In the low part of the mood cycle, feelings of hopelessness, guilt, or wanting to die are common.  Changes in the person’s appetite, a decrease in energy, and increased ability to make decisions can happen.  Experiencing stomach aches and headaches is not uncommon.

Manic Depression by the Numbers

In the United States, more than 15% of all illnesses are mental illnesses.  (That is more than all forms of cancer and problems caused by addictions to drugs and alcohol.)  If you know of someone who has been diagnosed with manic depression, he or she is in good company.  It has been estimated that this disorder affects between two and four percent of the world’s population, some 222 million people. 

Treatment Options for Manic Depression

There is no cure for manic depression but some of the symptoms can be controlled by the use of medication.  Some medications are used to treat acute symptoms; that is, those caused by severe episodes of mania or depression. Other medications are used to prevent future episodes of these types and are referred to as “maintenance therapy”. 

In addition to medications, people with bipolar disorder can benefit from psychotherapy as part of the treatment process.  Therapy can help the person understand the disorder and come to terms with what the diagnosis means for them.  Through the process of going to therapy, the client may get a better understanding of how the bipolar disorder affects their relationships with family and friends.

If the person is having a depressive episode, the therapy may help the person to adopt some thought processes that are positive instead of negative.  He or she may be able to recognize a manic or depressive episode as it is starting, and get appropriate treatment quickly.  Other family members will come to understand the disorder better by attending therapy sessions themselves. 

Manic depression is a chronic but treatable mental illness.  Getting proper treatment is key to having a good quality of life.