It is certainly a true statement that most of us experience times when we are very happy and other times when we feel quite down. However people with bipolar disorder experience very large fluctuations in mood that interfere greatly with their everyday life. Fortunately there are a number of treatments that are available to help with this condition if the right help is sought.
To understand bipolar disorder one must first have a good idea that it is a long-term mental health condition. People who suffer from this condition experience very large and noticeable mood swings. In some instances people will feel very happy or euphoric, they may even feel as though are invincible and can do anything. This is a state of bipolar known as mania. At other times they will feel very low in mood and can become very depressed. This state is known as bipolar depression. The combination of mania and bipolar depression makes up the condition known as bipolar disorder and as you can imagine makes it very hard for the sufferer to live a normal life.
People who suffer from this condition often find it very difficult to attend classes at university or to hold onto a regular job. This condition can also put a large amount of stress on ones relationships with both friends and family. Many people find it hard to be around someone who suffers from bipolar disorder and in many cases they decide it is easier to just not make the effort. There are times in between the mania and bipolar depression when your mood can be completely normal and this is known as having a stable mood. This state can last anywhere from a few weeks to several years. However it is unlikely that this condition will completely resolve without treatment.
Other names that you might hear bipolar disorder referred to are bipolar affective disorder and manic depression. Also one should note that there are two kinds of bipolar disorder: type 1 and type 2.
In type 1 bipolar disorder the patient will suffer from both mania and depression to the same degree.
In type 2 you also get episodes of mania and depression; however the mania tends to be milder and is often called hypomamia. Type 2 is a little bit more common than type 1 and you can talk to your doctor about what kind you suffer from if you have already been diagnosed with this condition.
Seroquel XR is a medication used in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
