The document provides an overview of bipolar disorder, including its historical context, symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and treatment options. It outlines the phases of the disorder, such as depression, mania, and mixed states, along with potential psychotic symptoms that can occur. It also emphasizes the importance of medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes in managing the condition.

1. Manic Depression
Rikha Brown
This a project for a high school AP Psychology course. This is a
fictionalized account of having a psychological ailment. For
questions about this blog project or its content please email the
teacher, Laura Astorian: laura.astorian@cobbk12.org

2. History
• Bipolar disorder was formerly called manic depression
• Previously and still misdiagnosed
• Schizophrenia
• Borderline personality disorder
• Clinical depression

3. What is it?
• Stems from a combination of genetic and environmental
factors
• Mood episodes associates with it involve clinical depression or
mania with periods of normal mood and energy in between
episodes
• Patients with bipolar disorder may have disturbances in
thinking

4. What Causes Bipolar Disorder
• Like other mood disorders, cause is not known
• Has genetic component and can run in families

5. Diagnoses
• Disorder usually appears between ages of 15 and 24 and
persists throughout a lifetime
• Relapses and remissions, bipolar disorder has a high rate of
recurrence if untreated.

6. Depression phase
• During this phase people with bipolar disorder may stay in bed
all day, often feeling like they cannot get going. They may
speak or think of suicide, making emergency care crucial for
their safety. Just as in a manic episode psychotic symptoms
may also occur during severe depressive episodes

7. Depressive Episode Signs
• Feeling sad and
unhappy for an
uninterrupted period
of at least 2 weeks
• Crying for no reason
• Feeling worthless
• Having very little
energy
• Losing interest in
pleasurable activities
• Loss of appetite

8. Mania phase
• During this phase people have an elevated mood, or “high”
which includes feelings of increased self-esteem and
uniqueness. They often overestimate how much they can do
and the quality of their ideas. Judgement becomes impaired
and patients may have little regret or concern for their
actions. They have many ideas and much energy with which
to carry them out.

9. Mania Symptoms
• Disconnected and fast
thoughts
• Gradiose beliefs
• Inappropriate elation
• Inappropriate irritability
• Increased talking speed
or volume
• Poor judgement
• Decreased need for
sleep due to high energy

10. Psychotic symptoms
• Sometimes a person with severe episodes of mania or
depression has psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or
delusions. This is why people with bipolar disorder who have
psychotic symptoms are sometimes misdiagnosed with
schizophrenia.

11. Psychotic feelings
• Tend to reflect persons extreme mood
• Ex. during manic episode may believe they are a famous person,
have a lot of money or special powers
• During depressive episode may believe they are ruined and
penniless or have committed a crime

12. Hypomanic Episode
• Bipolar II Disorder
• A less severe form of a manic episode
• Not severe enough to cause serious impairment in social or
occupational functioning
• No psychotic features
• Similar, though less severe symptoms of mania

13. Mixed State phase
• Bipolar disorder may also be present in a mixed state in which
people experience both mania and depression at the same
time

14. Mixed state Feelings
• Sad
• Energized
• Agitates
• Major changes in
appetite

15. Bipolar DisorderNot OtherwiseSpecified
(BP-NOS)
• Diagnoses when symptoms of the illness exist but do not meet
diagnostic criteria for either bipolar I or II.
• Symptoms clearly out of the person's normal range of
behavior

16. Cyclothymia
• Mild form of bipolar disorder
• Episodes of hypomania and mild depression for at least 2
years
• Symptoms do not meet diagnostic requirements for any other
type of bipolar disorder

17. Rapid-cycling Bipolar Disorder
• Severe form of the disorder
• Occurs when a person has four or more episodes of major
depression, mania, hypomania, or mixed states. All within a
year,
• More common in people who have first bipolar episode at a
younger age

18. Treatments
• Cannot be cured but can be treated effectively
• Combination of medication and psychotherapy
Medications
• Mood stabilizers
• Anti psychotics
• Antidepressants
Psychotherapy
• Cognitive
behavioral therapy
• Family focused
therapy
• Psychoeducation
• Social rhythm
therapy

19. Diet
• Avoid “Western” style diets rich in red meats, saturated fats
and trans fats, and simple carbohydrates.
• Linked to higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease
• East balance of nutrient-dense foods
• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables
• Lean meat

20. Self Help
• Talk to your doctor about treatment options
• Keep a routine regular, such as going to sleep at the same time
every night and eating meals at the same time every day
• Try to get wnough sleep
• Stay on your medication
• Learn your warning signs for a shift into depression or mania
• Expect symptoms to improve gradually, not immediately