Mental Alterations In Bipolar Disorder

Mental alterations in bipolar disorder

Bipolar affective disorder actually consists of a heterogeneous set of chronic and disabling mental alterations, which require medical attention for life. In general, it is characterized by cyclic and recurring changes in mood which alternate mania episodes with others of depression.

This disease affects approximately 45 million people around the world, according to WHO data. However, it is one of the most frequently infradiagnosed mental pathologies by health personnel. This is because the first episode that is usually presented is depressive and can pass a long time before the disease mana is evident, so it is erroneously classified.

In the beginning, melancholy and mania were considered isolated pathologies, but after many discussions the manic-depressive madness was described as an independent entity. It was not until 1980 that it was described as bipolar disorder.

Classification

According to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-V) there are different types of bipolar disorder, which are completely independent entities that should not be considered the progression of the same disease. They are classified as:

• Bipolar disorder I. The patient has presented at least one manic episode, followed or preceded by a higher hypomania or depressive episode.

• Bipolar Disorder II. The patient has suffered at least one hypomania or major depressive episode, but has never presented a manic episode.

• Cyclothymic disorder. The patient has suffered successive periods of hypomania and depression, at least for 2 continuous years.

• Related disorders. Which can be induced by certain medications, abuse drugs, or being related to other endocrine or neurodegenerative diseases.

Clinical manifestations

As we have mentioned, this disorder is characterized by the alternation of maniac and depressive episodes;However, these spectra can have different clinical manifestations:

• Mania: it is characterized by an exalted, irritable and hyperactive mood, which incapacitates the patient to fulfill their daily activities and can trigger a psychotic syndrome.

• Hypomania: State of agitation and euphoria, which unlike mania is not incapacitating and does not produce disconnection of reality.

• Major depression: set of symptoms that includes the loss of the ability to feel pleasure, feeling of sadness, emptiness, fatigue loss and persistent desire to die.

Forecast and treatment

Pharmacological treatment includes stabilizers of the mood such as lithium, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines;And although there are many controversies regarding the effectiveness of psychological therapy, patients refer that it contributes significantly to their improvement. As for the forecast, it depends on the typology, resources and family support system of each patient.

Social impact of bipolar disorder

The fact that a mental illness is able to impair a person’s life so dramatic is very shockis even more. That is why this update of bipolar affective disorder is important, since we must be alert to the early manifestations of this pathology.