Bipolar Disorder - Kelly Griffin & Associates Disorder... · 2017-02-26 · Bipolar Disorder: rom...
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Bipolar Disorder: rom the depths of despair and sad- ness, to feelings of elation and the abil- ity to conquer the world, bipolar disorder or manic depression can make someone feel as if life has become a virtual roller coaster of emotions and behaviors. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly “high” and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in be- tween. Se- vere changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called epi- sodes of mania and depres- sion.” Leonard V. Barley, MD, MBA, FAPA, chief medical officer of Laurelwood Hos- pital in Willoughby, explains that the di- agnosis of bipolar disorder can be a chal- lenging task for psychiatrists and other physicians. “Usually the first four or five episodes of bipolar disorder present as depression in many people, particularly younger people. In fact, the younger that the onset of depressive episodes occur, the higher the likelihood that it will turn out to become bipolar disorder later.” What this means is a family physician or psychiatrist could think he or she is dealing with a routine depressive dis- order in a person during a brief evalu- ation and prescribe antidepressants for it, when the real problem could be bi- polar disorder and the depressive state could be a depressive episode. If that is the case, some antidepressants could cause an individual with bipolar disorder to switch from a depressive episode to a manic or hypomanic state, explains Dr. Barley. Bipolar disorder occurs in different levels of severity in different people but there are some common factors. People with bipolar disorder generally experi- ence about two-thirds more depressive episodes than manic or hypomanic epi- sodes, notes Dr. Barley. Hypomanic ep- isodes are generally similar to manic episodes but do not include psychosis. Signs, Symptoms and Treatment What are some of the symptoms or signs to look for if you think you or a family member might have bipolar disorder? Dr. Bar- ley says, “The depressive episode may cause an in- dividual to have periods of depression, increased sleep and excessive fatigue as well as a feeling of leth- argy, problems focusing and sometimes suicidal ideation [thoughts].” A manic or hypomanic (less severe than man- ic and without psycho- sis) episode may lead a person to use poor judgment, produce a feeling of euphoria, ir- ritability or produce racing thoughts, he ex- plains. For either a family phy- sician or a psychiatrist de- termining a diagnosis of bipolar disorder vs. major depressive disorder, family his- tory plays an important role, ac- cording to Dr. Barley. “If there’s a family history of bipolar disorder, the incidence of it occurring in another family member goes up dramatically.” There is good news regarding bipolar disorder, however. It is a biological ill- ness and can often be kept under con- trol with the right medication(s), notes Dr. Barley. Just like diabetes or high blood pressure, which are common medical problems and can be controlled quite successfully most of the time with the right medication(s), so can bipolar dis- order. Although the disorder most often sur- faces in people between the ages of 15 and 25, the onset of this illness may oc- cur in children and adolescents or older people as well. One of the real dilemmas with bipo- lar disorder is that a mild or hypomanic episode can feel good to a person with the disorder so he or she may not want to take medication. “A person can feel highly productive, have a certain level of creativity and energy and not want to lose that feeling,” explains Dr. Barley. However, a hypomanic state can also lead a person into making bad financial decisions, making expensive purchases of something that is not needed, becom- ing sexually involved with an inappropri- ate person or other excessive behaviors. A severe manic episode can include psychotic symp- toms as well. NIMH describes common psy- chotic symptoms associated with bipolar disorder: Hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing the presence of things not actually there) and delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical reasoning or explained by a per- son’s usual cultural concepts). Psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder tend to re- flect the extreme mood state at the time. For example, delusions of grandiosity, such as believing one is the President or has special powers or wealth, may oc- cur during mania; delusions of guilt or worthlessness, such as believing that one is ruined and penniless or has committed Bipolar Disorder: A Dichotomy of Symptoms by Kelly L. Griffin F 42 | The Heart of Lake County Magazine
Transcript of Bipolar Disorder - Kelly Griffin & Associates Disorder... · 2017-02-26 · Bipolar Disorder: rom...
Bipolar Disorder:
rom the depths of despair and sad-ness, to feelings of elation and the abil-ity to conquer the world, bipolar disorder or manic depression can make someone feel as if life has become a virtual roller coaster of emotions and behaviors.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly “high” and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in be-tween. Se-vere changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called epi-sodes of mania and depres-sion.”
Leonard V. Barley, MD, MBA, FAPA, chief medical officer of Laurelwood Hos-pital in Willoughby, explains that the di-agnosis of bipolar disorder can be a chal-lenging task for psychiatrists and other physicians. “Usually the first four or five episodes of bipolar disorder present as depression in many people, particularly younger people. In fact, the younger that the onset of depressive episodes occur, the higher the likelihood that it will turn out to become bipolar disorder later.”
What this means is a family physician or psychiatrist could think he or she is dealing with a routine depressive dis-order in a person during a brief evalu-ation and prescribe antidepressants for it, when the real problem could be bi-polar disorder and the depressive state could be a depressive episode. If that is the case, some antidepressants could cause an individual with bipolar disorder to switch from a depressive episode to a manic or hypomanic state, explains Dr. Barley.
Bipolar disorder occurs in different levels of severity in different people but there are some common factors. People with bipolar disorder generally experi-ence about two-thirds more depressive episodes than manic or hypomanic epi-sodes, notes Dr. Barley. Hypomanic ep-
isodes are generally similar to manic episodes but do not include psychosis.
Signs, Symptoms and Treatment
What are some of the symptoms or signs to look for if you think you or a family member might have bipolar disorder? Dr. Bar-ley says, “The depressive episode may cause an in-dividual to have periods of depression, increased sleep and excessive fatigue
as well as a feeling of leth-argy, problems focusing and
sometimes suicidal ideation [thoughts].”
A manic or hypomanic (less severe than man-ic and without psycho-sis) episode may lead a person to use poor judgment, produce a feeling of euphoria, ir-ritability or produce racing thoughts, he ex-plains.
For either a family phy-sician or a psychiatrist de-termining a diagnosis of bipolar disorder vs. major depressive disorder, family his-tory plays an important role, ac-cording to Dr. Barley. “If there’s a family history of bipolar disorder, the incidence of it occurring in another family member goes up dramatically.”
There is good news regarding bipolar disorder, however. It is a biological ill-ness and can often be kept under con-trol with the right medication(s), notes Dr.
Barley. Just like diabetes or high blood pressure, which are common medical problems and can be controlled quite successfully most of the time with the right medication(s), so can bipolar dis-order.
Although the disorder most often sur-faces in people between the ages of 15 and 25, the onset of this illness may oc-cur in children and adolescents or older people as well.
One of the real dilemmas with bipo-lar disorder is that a mild or hypomanic episode can feel good to a person with the disorder so he or she may not want to take medication. “A person can feel highly productive, have a certain level of creativity and energy and not want to lose that feeling,” explains Dr. Barley. However, a hypomanic state can also lead a person into making bad financial decisions, making expensive purchases of something that is not needed, becom-ing sexually involved with an inappropri-ate person or other excessive behaviors.
A severe manic episode can include psychotic symp-toms as well. NIMH describes common psy-chotic symptoms associated with
bipolar disorder:Hallucinat ions
(hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing
the presence of things not actually there) and
delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical
reasoning or explained by a per-son’s usual cultural concepts). Psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder tend to re-flect the extreme mood state at the time. For example, delusions of grandiosity, such as believing one is the President or has special powers or wealth, may oc-cur during mania; delusions of guilt or worthlessness, such as believing that one is ruined and penniless or has committed
Bipolar Disorder: A Dichotomy of Symptoms
by Kelly L. GriffinF
42 | The Heart of Lake County Magazine
some terrible crime, may appear during depression.
A severe depressive episode can make someone feel so sad, exhausted, hope-less and burdensome to the family that he or she may start thinking about sui-cide. If left untreated, manic episodes and depressive episodes may literally ruin a person’s life.
Bipolar disorder requires treatment in the form of therapy and medication in order for an individual to maintain a mood level that allows him or her to suc-cessfully function, participate in and en-joy life, concludes Dr. Barley. If you or a family member is experiencing unex-plained, dramatic changes in mood or functioning, please look at the listed re-sources and reach out for help.
Resources For Information And Services
Here are some additional resources to access for information about bipolar disorder, depression or other behavioral health issues and their treatment.
Local:Laurelwood Hospital, a regional behavioral health system providing mental health services and addiction treatment servicesto children, adolescents and adults.Locations:Laurelwood Hospital (Willoughby): 35900 Euclid Avenue, Willoughby, OH 44094 440-953-3000 Mentor Counseling Center: 7060 Wayside Drive, Mentor, OH 44060 440-639-8989 Beachwood Counseling Center: 23240 Chagrin Blvd. Commerce Park 4, Suite 610, Beachwood, OH 44122 216-595-0500 www.laurelwoodhospital.com
NAMI-Lake County5930 Heisley Road, Mentor, OH 44060 440-639-1200
Internet-based Resources:National Association for the Mentally Ill, www.nami.orgNational Institute of Mental Health, www.nimh.nih.gov Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, www.ndmda.org
Leonard V. Barley, MD, MBA, FAPA, Chief Medical Officer, joined Laurelwood Hospital in December 2006. He has diverse leadership and vast clinical experience in several psychiatric specialties, as well as prior medical directorships posts and will provide Laurelwood Hospital clinicians with strong leadership. Dr. Barley’s credentials include board certification and past volunteer clinical faculty work with the University of California Davis School of Medicine. He is a Vanguard Member of the American College of Physician Executives and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. His clinical background encompasses adult and adolescent psychiatry. Laurelwood Hospital provides comprehensive, behavioral health and addiction treatment for children, adolescents and adults in its inpatient facility in Willoughby and its outpatient counseling centers located in Beachwood and Mentor.
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