New Delhi, March 11 (IANS). In today’s fast paced life, people often go through stress and anxiety. Many times we ignore sudden changes in behavior by calling them mood swings, but mental health experts say that in some cases this change can also be a sign of a serious mental health problem. One such condition is bipolar disorder, which is very important to understand and recognize on time. If its treatment is not started at the right time, it can have a deep impact on a person’s daily life, relationships and career.
Mental health problems are increasing rapidly globally. According to the report of the World Health Organization (WHO), a large number of people in the world are suffering from some mental health problem. Bipolar disorder is also a major condition among them.
Generally two types of conditions are seen in bipolar. The first is the manic state and the second is the depressive state. In a manic state, a person feels extremely energetic. He feels that he can do a lot and sometimes he takes decisions without thinking. At such times, the person starts talking too much, remains active despite less sleep and sometimes even does risky work. Some people may even feel as if they are very powerful.
On the other hand, in a depressive state the situation is completely opposite. In this the person feels constant sadness, fatigue and despair. He starts losing interest even in the things which used to give him pleasure earlier. Sometimes changes in sleep and appetite patterns are also seen. The person finds it difficult to concentrate and in some serious cases may even have thoughts of harming himself. This is why mental health experts recommend taking these symptoms seriously.
There is no single definite cause behind bipolar disorder. Scientific research suggests that many factors can work together behind this. These may include genetics, brain changes, and life circumstances. If anyone in the family has had this type of problem before, the risk may increase. Apart from this, imbalance of chemical messengers present in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin can also affect mood.
According to doctors, its initial signs usually appear between the age of 18 to 30 years. However, in some cases it may happen earlier or later.
The symptoms of this problem may appear slightly different in women and men. In many cases, manic condition is more common in men, whereas depressive state is more common in women. Hormonal changes after pregnancy and childbirth can also affect the mood of women, so it is advisable to take special care at such times.
–IANL
PK/DKP
