Bipolar Disorder

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date Bipolar Disorder Research Paper Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that triggers outrageous or strange moves within a person’s state of mind. The condition can impact an individual’s ability to work and vitality levels. Many individuals experience normal bad and good times, yet for a person struggling with bipolar disorder, their mind state movements are deemed extreme. It is not well-established what actually triggers bipolar disorder. Although not a generalized situation, the condition can run in families. This paper discusses bipolar disorder, its clinical manifestations, epidemiology, and prevalence. It also considers the causes, medical and psychological treatments, as well as the long-term prognosis of the illness. Description of the Disorder Bipolar disorder can be described as a mental condition involving mood swings spanning from manic highs to depressive lows. Approximately 8 million individuals in the United States (U.S.) are struggling with bipolar disorder. This constitutes nearly 2.6% of the country’s population aged 18 and above annually (National Institute of Mental Health). In addition, bipolar disorder is a chronic and recurrent condition that affects many individuals globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that bipolar disorder has affected approximately 46 million individuals across the world in recent years (Kalcey 11). The condition can manifest mostly in individuals aged between 18 and 24, although it can still occur at any particular age (Jorge 3). The median onset age for the mental condition is 25 years, although it is not feasible to rule out the possibility of the condition occurring in early childhood or late adulthood. Bipolar disorder prevalence is equally cut across all genders, and it is also found in all races, ethnic groups, social classes, and ages. The condition also incorporates a heritable aspect because over two-thirds of individuals struggling with bipolar disorder have a relative with the condition. According to Voelker, there are three classes of bipolar disorder. People struggling with bipolar I disorder experience at least 1 mania episode characterized by an irritable or elevated mood lasting at least one week, thus triggering the need for hospitalization. The mood episodes differ entirely from the individual’s usual behaviors and moods. The clinical manifestations include risk-taking behaviors, grandiosity, reduced urge to sleep, impaired judgment, increased performance, racing thoughts, impulsivity, and restlessness. Individuals struggling with bipolar II disorder experience a milder kind of mania (hypomania) for at least four consecutive days, along with a preceding depression episode (Voelker). The third type of bipolar disorder is called cyclothymia, which manifests as recurring depressive and hypomanic symptoms that do not last for extended timescales or are not strong enough to qualify as depressive or hypomanic episodes. In order to effectively understand the disease epidemiology, it is practical to consider how the condition is diagnosed. Bipolar disorder is typically diagnosed in persons who have experienced episodes of mania and depression. The clinician would ask the client struggling with depression about mania manifestations, including reduced urge to sleep, excessive energy, irritable or elevated mood, and increased sexuality. Family members typically offer vital insights into their kin’s recent behavioral and decision-making patterns. It is crucial to establish persons struggling with bipolar disorder since early diagnosis and treatment normally lead to a better prognosis. Nearly 70% of individuals struggling with bipolar disorder also have problems with anxiety disorder and barely more than 50% struggle with drug abuse disorder (Voelker). Personality disorders impact approximately a third of individuals who are struggling with bipolar disorder, and nearly 10 to 20 percent have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (Voelker). Causes Despite different theories being suggested over the decades concerning the primary cause of bipolar disorders, the origin of the condition can be traced to organic determinants, especially neurochemical and genetic variations. However, it can be easily established that a wide range of variables come into play in causing mood disorders such as bipolar disorder. Within the previous decade, there has been a rising magnitude of research concerning genetic causes of bipolar disorders, risk factors, underlying developmental mechanisms, vulnerabilities, putative features of the condition, and the interactions between an i...