Affective Disorders

Who can tell me how many people suffer in America from bipolar disorder?” About 2 million people suffer and that is starting at 18 years of age.About 2 million people suffer and that is starting at 18 years of age.

Does anyone one want to share a store about some one that suffers from an affective disorder?

My friend In my life my best friend’s older sister had bipolar disorder. There were nights when my friend was scared to go to sleep. In the house she grew up in, they only had one room that the door would lock. Over time her sister started to take medicine and started to be able to live with her life.

Bipolar Disorder  Bipolar disorder, formerly called ____________________________, is a condition that affects more than two million Americans. People who have this illness tend to experience extreme mood swings, along with other specific symptoms and behaviors. These mood swings or "episodes" can take three forms: manic episodes, depressive episodes, or "mixed" episodes

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder  Mood Swings  Usually the illness appears suddenly, although onset may be gradual.  Episodes of mania, which can last from days to weeks or months, are generally briefer than episodes of depression. depression  It typically emerges in adolescence or early adulthood, but may begin in childhood.  Bipolar disorder most often manifests itself between the ages of 15 – 24, with 90% of cases diagnosed by the age of 30.

Treatments of Bipolar Disorder  Here are some medications a person can use:  clozapine (Clozaril)  olanzipine (Zyprexa)  quetiapine (Seroquel)  risperidone (Risperdal)  aripiprazole (Abilify)  ziprasidone (Geodon)  Anticonvulsant drugs may also be used. These include:  valproate (Depakote)  lamotrigine (Lamictal)  carbamazepine (Tegretol)  oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)

Treatments  The person can also become hospitalized for help where the doctor can keep careful eye on the patient.

Clinical Depression  Is a common mood disorder in psychology and psychiatry, in which a person's enjoyment of life and ability to function socially and in day to day matters is disrupted by intense sadness, melancholia, numbness, or despair mood disorderpsychology psychiatrysadness melancholianumbnessdespairmood disorderpsychology psychiatrysadness melancholianumbnessdespair Can be a one time event that can either appear gradually or suddenly, and last for months or years.  In the most extreme cases, clinical depression is a life-long illness. Recurrence of clinical depression is common, and suicide or suicidal thoughts are a major risk. suicide

Symptoms of Clinical Depression  Some of the most recognized symptoms of depression include a profound feeling of sadness or loss of interest. You may be surprised to learn that people with depression often experience a broad range of other symptoms. In general, if you've been experiencing some combination of the following emotional or physical symptoms for more than two weeks, and it clearly interferes with your life, discuss your concerns with your doctor:

More Symptoms  There's no simple explanation why people experience depression. It's a complex disease that may develop for a variety of reasons. It can affect anyone at any age, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or income level.  Some people become depressed after a major life change—the death of a loved one, a divorce, the loss of a job or a move. Even seemingly happy events, such as becoming a parent or getting married, can trigger depression. Or, even a smaller change can sometimes trigger depression.

Treatments for Clinical Depression  The first step to getting appropriate treatments for clinical depression is a physical examination by a physician. If a physical cause for the clinical depression is ruled out, a psychological evaluation should be done by referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist.

 A good diagnostic evaluation will include a complete history of symptoms and whether the symptoms were treated and what treatment was given. The psychologist should ask about alcohol and drug use, and if the patient has thoughts about death or suicide. Further, a history should include questions about a family history of clinical depression. The evaluation should include a mental status examination to determine if speech or thought patterns or memory have been affected.

 Treatment choice will depend upon the outcome of the evaluation. Depending on the patient's diagnosis and severity of symptoms, the therapist may prescribe medication and/or one of the several forms of psychotherapy that have proven effective for clinical depression. There are a variety of antidepressant medications and psychotherapies that can be used to treat depressive disorders. Most do best with combined treatment: education to understand the nature and cause of their clinical depression, medication to gain relatively quick symptom relief and psychotherapy to learn more effective ways to deal with life's problems.

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