Bifalgorithm post · Health Education · Dysthymic Disorder
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder (Health Education · Dysthymic Disorder) — "A third type of depressive disorder is bipolar disorder, also called manic-depression. A person who…
Ideas in this flowchart
- Bipolar disorder is a depressive disorder involving alternating mood episodes.
- It is also called manic-depression.
- A person with bipolar disorder alternates between major depression and mania.
- One type of episode is major depression.
- The other type is mania, involving persistently elevated mood or irritability.
- During mania, three or more characteristic symptoms may occur.
- Overly inflated self-esteem.
- Decreased need for sleep.
- Increased talkativeness.
- Racing thoughts and distractibility.
- Increased goal-directed activity or physical agitation.
- Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities with a high potential for painful consequences.
- Adolescents in a manic phase may engage in risky behaviors such as fast driving and unsafe sex.
- Bipolar disorder frequently begins during adolescence or young adulthood.
- Adults often have clearly defined manic and depressive episodes, with mania every two to four years.
