subject: What In Fact Causes Bipolar? [print this page] Knowing and analyzing bipolar illness causes is important in providing sufferers the ability to handle bipolar symptoms and live a more standard life. This illness, otherwise known as bipolar disorder, causes episodes of sudden mood shifts that can last from several hours to days depending on the severity of the condition. This specific brain disorder may be acquired, passed down, developed or a recurrent affliction. To get the most suitable form of treatment solution, it is quite important for individuals to determine the causes as well as triggering features.
Characters of Bipolar
Bipolar causes vary from affected individual to other individuals. Despite the fact that factors like neurochemical discrepancy, genetic makeup along with environmental stresses were found to affect the development of this particular mental problem, with the exact cause of this particular illness has yet to be discovered. Biological diseases such as problems on certain regions of the human brain due to neurotransmitter malfunction can lead to the progression of the disorder. And as a biological disorder, it may be dormant for activating the various forms of daily stressors.
Genetic Makeup
Bipolar disorder is a disease that can run in a family. A family medical history is a known bipolar cause. A person with parents diagnosed of bipolar disorder has 15 to 25 percent chance of developing this disease. Greater risks are suffered by individuals with twins who are diagnosed of the disease.
Disproportion of Chemicals in the Human Mind
Imbalance to brain chemicals or neurotransmitters is one of the known biological causes. The disease may progress from having high levels of serotonin, dopamine or norepinephrine. This condition may result from sudden change in the sensitivity of the receptors of nerve cells to reaction to overwhelming stress.
Stress Triggers
Stressful events in daily life can certainly trigger manic depressive episodes. A person with genetic disposition for this kind of brain disorder is highly likely to experience bouts of extreme mood shifts. Detrimental lifestyles as well as habits like frequent and high alcohol intake, drug abuse or hormonal complications promote episodes of the symptoms. Although drug abuse is not really included in the list of bipolar causes, it is an ingredient that may worsen the illness as it interferes with the patient's road to total recovery.
In addition, emotional issues like losing work, death of a loved one, moving and adapting to a whole new atmosphere, birth of a child can put any person under a lot of stress. Enduring overwhelming emotions could trigger symptoms of the disorder. Together, psychological, mental and environmental stressors can certainly establish a cycle of abnormal emotional as well as biological processes that may keep the disorder active.
Prescribed Drugs
Prescription medication is seen as one of the unlikely bipolar causes. When the drugs are prescribed to properly cope with bothersome and debilitating effects of bipolar, medicated drugs like medication against depression or antimanic medication might cause adverse benefits. Incorrect or lengthened usage of drugs against depression or antimanic may result in drug-induced manic episodes. Specific drugs may produce effects that resemble mania, which leads to elevated strength, increased talkativeness as well as sleeping problems. Such medications consist of cocaine, amphetamines, appetite suppressants, cold preparations and nonpsychiatric prescription drugs like corticosteroids.
Who may Develop Bipolar Disorder?
Anyone can develop bipolar disorder or bipolar manic depression. According to PsychCentral.com, over 2 million Americans are diagnosed of the disease. Although a few risk factors increase the likelihood of developing the disease, it affects male and female population at the same rate.
