Bipolar Depression

Bipolar depression explained
  Bipolar depression like any depression hampers ones ability to function socially, professionally and personally. hampers ones ability to function socially, professionally and personally. Depression and bipolar go hand in hand.

  Depression is normally accompanied by feelings of sadness, loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities and a general ongoing feeling of hopelessness.

  Bipolar disorder individuals fluctuate between periods of depression and elation sometimes with normal periods in between. With bipolar depression irritability and also agitation may be present. The depressive episodes are often shorter but the fluctuations into depressive states are more frequent and characterized by extremes in tiredness, food consumption and sleeping.

  Depression alone can be managed with antidepressants but with bipolar depression mood stabilizers are an important component of bipolar medications. This is necessary to manage the swings in an effort to control the frequency and severity of the fluctuations. Antidepressants without mood stabilizers may activate mania or accelerate cycling between moods.

  Long term management of depression with bipolar is vital. Risk of suicide is higher. The anxiety, irritability and hostility may lead to violent or suicidal behavior.

  It is not unusual for bipolar disorder to be misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder, especially when the patient's moods swing more in the depressed direction. Frequently, the patient will only mention the depression to the doctor because the manic episodes do not seem like an illness from their point of view. Also behavior symptomatic of the manic stage like hypersexuality is unlikely to be seen as a problem by the patient.

  Additionally, people with bipolar disorder can be normal for long stretches of time before suffering either mania or depression.