Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms and Treatment

Running head: BIPOLAR DISORDER
Bipolar Disorder
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Introduction
Bipolar disorder is a mental condition in which the affected person experiences
episodes of extreme mood swings (Medalia, Herlands, Saperstein and Revheim, 2017). On
one extreme, the person experiences episodes of extreme happiness or hyperactivity, which is
referred to as mania. A person may also experience a less pronounced episode of elation
which is referred to as hypomania. On the other extreme, one may feel extremely sad,
indifferent and depressed. At such times, the person has low activity levels and may even
contemplate suicide. Episodes of these extreme mood swings may occur rarely or multiple
times a year. Different people will experience mood swings to varying degrees. Some people
may have some emotional symptoms between the mood swings while others may not. It is
important to note that bipolar disorder is chronic. The aspect of being chronic means that it is
a life long mental disorder. Despite this, it is a condition that can be effectively managed and
controlled through treatment. It can be treated in two main ways. One of these is through
medications while the other is psychotherapy. There are different categorizations of bipolar
disorder but all cases involve changes in mood.
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder affects the youth in a myriad of ways. One of the common symptoms
of people with bipolar disorder is anxiety. It is imperative to understand that every person
may experience anxiety to varying levels in the course of the day to day activities (Linehan,
2018). For instance, a person may feel anxious when making a very important decision.
These kinds of feeling are pretty normal. In persons with bipolar disorder, anxiety is usually
extreme. It greatly affects the quality of life. There are several forms of anxiety disorders that
a youth suffering from bipolar disorder may experience. These include obsessive-compulsive
disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. There exists evidence to show that

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bipolar disorder mainly affects young people who are between the ages of 15 and 25 years
(Bateman, Gunderson and Mulder, 2015). Anxiety conditions associated with bipolar
disorder have been shown to greatly lower the quality of life a young person who is affected.
For instance, a person may have a hard time maintaining good relationships with family and
friends. In addition, the affected person may experience a hard time in the workplace because
they are likely to be socially excluded. It is important for people who are close to the affected
person to note any changes in anxiety and take the person to receive appropriate care.
Luckily, anxiety disorders that come along with bipolar disorder are treatable.
Panic Attacks
Some studies have found out that at least 20% of persons suffering from bipolar
disorder experience panic attacks (Linehan, 2018). In a panic attack, an individual may
experience extreme fear even when there is no presence of danger. It is common for people to
disregard such attacks but they may affect the life of a youth in a negative way. There exists
evidence to show that youths have bipolar disorder and who experience these attacks may shy
away from going outside to interact with other people. They might spend most of their time
in their rooms. In addition, they may experience suicidal thoughts. Therefore, it is important
to ensure that such youths are identified and helped. Luckily, this condition is also
manageable. Most people who get a panic attack may think that they are having a heart
attack. Agoraphobia is a panic attack that involves extreme fear. This condition could so
pronounce that the affected person refuses to leave their rooms. This condition affects both
young men and women alike. If left untreated, panic attacks may develop into more severe
disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.