Bipolar Disorder
Course: Counselling Psycology
Teacher: P. Humpolíček
Spring 2015
By Georgia Kyriakakou

Also known as :
•Bipolar affective disorder
•Manic-depressive disorder
•Manic Depression
•

What is Bipolar Disorder?
•Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by extreme mood shifts.
•Periods of elevated mood (Mania- Hypomania)
•Periods of Depression
•

The History of Bipolar Disorder
•Aretaeus of Capadocia began the research into the disorder by beginning the process of detailing
syptoms in the medical field as early as the 1st Century in Greece.
•  Mania<Μανία> - Depression< Μελαγχολία >

ΜΕΛΑΓΧΟΛΙΑ
‘’μέλαν’’ και ‘’χολή’’
•
•Μέλαν=> Black
•Χολή=> Bile
•  η «μελαγχολία» απέρρεε από την ερεβώδη προσωπικότητα του υποκειμένου που υπό την επίδραση του
(πλανήτη) Κρόνου, είχε σαν αποτέλεσμα την έκκριση μαύρης χολής από τον σπλήνα οδηγώντας σε
συσκότιση της διάθεσης μέσω της επίδρασης (της χολής) στον εγκέφαλο.
•Aristotels : ‘’Δεν υπάρχει μεγαλοφυία χωρίς το άγγιγμα της τρέλας’’




Μανία
μανθάνω<σκέφτομαι<think
•  Plato :   « Μανίας δε γε είδη δύο, την μεν υπό νοσημάτων ανθρωπίνων, την δε υπό θείας εξαλλαγής
των ειωθότων νομίμων γιγνομένην, Φαίδρος 265 a»
•Socrates :«Τα μέγιστα των αγαθών ημίν γίγνεται δια μανίας, θεία μέντοι δόσει διδομένης».

Timeline
• Bipolar disorder often develops in a person’s late teens or early adult years.
• At least half of the cases start before the age of 25.
• Some people have their first symptoms during childhood- others late in life.
•Rates appear to be similar in males and females.
•
•

SYMPTOMS
•


1. Manic Episodes
• A distinct period of elevated, enthusiastic or irritable mood lasting at least one week, that
includes at least three of the following symptoms

•Increased physical and mental activity and energy
•Exaggerated optimism and self-confidence
•Aggressive behavior
•Grandiose thoughts, extreme sense of self-importance
•Reckless behavior
•In severe cases, delusions and hallucinations

2. Hypomanic episodes
•Similar to a manic episode, except that it is less severe and there are no delusions or
hallucinations. It is clearly different from an individual’s non-depressed mood with a clear change
in activity and attitude.

3. Major depressive episodes
•A period of 2 or more weeks with 5 or more symptoms:
-Prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells
- Pessimism, Indifference
-Loss of energy, persistent exhaustion
-Unexplained acnes and pains
-Inability to take pleasure in former interests, social withdrawal
-Excessive consumption of alcohol or use of chemical substances
-
-
-

4. Mixed state
(also known as mixed mania)
•The period which symptoms of a manic and a depressive episode are present at the same time.People
who experience that kind of episodes can feel aggression, hopelessness, have suicidal and
self-destractive thougths. All can happen over the course of minutes.

Depressive symptoms
•
•-Excessive crying                                                                    - Sadness
•-Loss of pleasure                                                                    - Low energy
•-Sleeping too much or too little                                               -Restlessness
•-Difficulty concentrating                                                         - Irritability
•-Loss of appetite or overeating                                               - Thoughts of
death/suicide
•-Feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness
•-Ongoing physical problems that are not caused by physical pain or injury(e.g. headaches,
digestive problems)
•
•
•

Manic Symptoms
•
•-Reckless behavior                                                                    -Poor
judgement
•-Little sleep needed
-Inappropriate euphoria
•-Racing thoughts: talking too much and too fast                       - Excessive
energy
       -Difficulty concentrating                                                            -Out of
control spending
•-Irritability
•-Abnormally increased activity, including sexual activity

CAUSES
•


• Genetic
• Physiological
• Neurological
• Neuroendocrinological
•Environmental
•

Diagnosis
• 1. Bipolar I Disorder
•2. Bipolar II Disorder
•3. Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (BP-NOS)
•4.Cyclothymic Disorder or Cyclothymia
•
•

Rapid cycling Bipolar Disorder
•Severe type of bipolar disorder
•Defined as four or more manic, hypomanic or depressive episodes in any 12-month period.
•‘’mood roller coaster’’
•Episodes often follow a random pattern
• For most people rapid cycling is a temporary occurence

TREATMENT
•


 1.  Medications ( mood stabilizers, atypical antipsycotics, antidepressants)
• à  Side effects(specific for Lithium):
•-Restlessness                                                  -Acne
•-Dry mouth
•-Bloating or Indigestion
•-Unusual discomfort to cold temperatures
•-Joint or muscle pain
•-Brittle nails or hair
•
•
•

2.Psycotherapy
•
•-Cognitive behavioral therapy ( CBT)
•-Family-focused therapy
•-Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy
•-Psychoeducation

3. Other treatments
•
•-Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
•-Sleep medications
•-Herbal Supplements

Prognosis
• Good prognosis= Good treatment
•Symptomatic recovery in time
• Reduce of the number of suicides

Prevention
• Stress: although it’s not a diagnostically specific causal, prevention of bipolar has focused on
stress. Especially in childhood.

INNACURACIES
• People with bipolar disorder are ‘’crazy’’ or ‘’out of control’’
•They need constant supervision
•Only Caucasians have bipolar disorder
•Bipolar disorder is not a real illness
•Having bipolar disorder is a choice- anyone with will power can control symptoms
•If a person does not get better , it is because he or she is not actively engaged in the recovery
process
•Treatment is uniform, treatment is the same for everyone

Other Misconceptions and Stigma
•Mental illness has no physical basis
•We all get depressed from time to time. Positive thinking should be enough to turn things around.
•The mentally ill are eccentrics who crave for attention. They aren’t sick and many of them don’t
want treatment.
•People with mental illness come from bad families.
•If ‘’imbalanced brain chemistry’’ causes mental illness, then medication alone should rebalance it
and cure the problem.

‘’Sometimes you’re the doctor, sometimes you’re the patient, sometimes you’re both’’
•https://youtu.be/mnegr4U79PUE


…but don’t get discouraged:
Illness of the genius


Literature
•
 «Bipolar Disorder». National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Revised 2012
• «Hypomania and Mania Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder». WebMD.com. January 10, 2010.
• «Bipolar Disorder: NIH Publication No. 95-3679». U.S. National Institutes of Health. September
1995
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (Text Revision). American
Psychiatric Association.
•Fountoulakis, KN (March 2013). «A systematic review of the evidence on the treatment of rapid
cycling bipolar disorder». Bipolar Disorders 15 (2): 115–227
•NIH, National Institution of Health website
•Healthline, website
•Bipolar Disorder Demystified by Lana R. Castle
•
•

Thanks for your attention!



THE END



…OR NOT