222 M people have bipolar disorder
Life, they say, is like a wheel. Sometimes you’re up; sometimes you’re down. But if your mood stays that way most of the day or everyday, chances are you have bipolar disorder — a disorder that affects 222 million people worldwide and is the sixth leading cause of disabilities worldwide.
Bipolar disorder is a serious and debilitating disorder that is also known as manic-depression or manic-depressive illness. This mood disorder often affects adults and may persist throughout life.
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide.
“But there is good news: bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives,” according to the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
“Bipolar disorder is not a single disorder; instead it is defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood, clinically referred to as mania. It is also characterized by bouts of depression. It was previously called manic-depressive disorder because patients experienced high (manic) and low (depressed) episodes. It is best to see bipolar disorder as a spectrum of disorders occurring on a continuum,” said Dr. Rodney Dalisay.
The manic phase of this disorder is characterized by feelings of euphoria, extreme optimism, and a high self-esteem. There is rapid speech, agitation, and reckless behavior.
Other symptoms are poor concentration, difficulty sleeping, poor judgment, and an unrealistic belief in one’s abilities and powers. In the depressive phase, the patient may have persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety or guilt, sleep problems, loss of appetite, irritability, chronic pain with no known cause, and recurring thoughts of suicide.
If you have bipolar disorder, you’re in good company. Among the famous sufferers of the disease were the British novelist Virginia Woolf, Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, and German composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
Woolf, author of “To the Lighthouse” and “Orlando,” had mood swings that were characterized by feverish periods of writing and weeks immersed in gloom.
Mental problems plagued Van Gogh in the last few yeas of his life. Unable to control his depression, he walked to the fields and he shot himself in the chest. He died two days later at the age of 37.
On the other hand, Beethoven suffered from long bouts of depression and longed for death. As his disease progressed, he withdrew from the world and drank himself to death.
But even worse than the disease itself is the stigma associated with bipolar disorder. Instead of getting compassion, patients are negatively labeled, ridiculed, and mocked. They become the subject of gossip, discrimination, and unfair treatment. This has led many patients to abandon medical treatment.
“Some people with (bipolar disorder) don’t seek treatment for fear of being given a label — a label that’s almost impossible to ever shed. They believe that once family and friends find out about their illness, they’ll be scorned. They may try to hide their symptoms and not stick to treatment regimens,” said the Mayo Clinic.
“(Others) become socially isolated, locked out of their community by the shame and embarrassment that stigma triggers. Stigma also leads to social distancing, in which people refuse to rent rooms to someone with (bipolar disorder), don’t want them as neighbors or co-workers, and won’t befriend them,” the Mayo Clinic said.
Fortunately, proper treatment can help patients stabilize their mood swings and manage the disease. To educate patients and their families about this disorder, Otsuka (
The helpline will direct callers to specialists who can help them live normal, productive lives. For more information, call 811-4723 for Metro Manila and 1-800-1888-4-723 for provincial areas.
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