What is bipolar disorder? The word bipolar means two extremes. For the millions of people with bipolar disorder around the world, life is torn between two different realities, euphoria and depression. While there are many variations of bipolar disorder, let's consider a couple; Type 1 has extreme highs with lows, while Type 2 has shorter and less extreme periods of exhilaration interspersed with long periods of depression. For someone who fluctuates between emotional states, it may seem impossible to find the balance necessary to lead a healthy life.

Type 1 extremes are known as manic episodes and can make a person irritable or invincible. But these euphoric episodes outweigh normal feelings of joy, causing unsettling symptoms such as rushed thoughts, sleeplessness, rapid speech, impulsive actions, and risky behavior. Without treatment, these episodes become more frequent, more intense, and take longer to go away. 

The depressive phase of bipolar disorder manifests itself in several ways: moodiness, decreased interest in leisure activities, changes in appetite, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, too much or too little sleep, restlessness or listlessness, or thoughts persistent suicidal.

Globally, about 1 to 3% of adults suffer from a wide range of symptoms indicative of bipolar disorder. Most of these people are functional and active members of society, and their lives, choices and relationships are not defined by the disorder, but for many the consequences are serious nonetheless. Illness can affect academic and work performance, relationships, financial security, and personal security. 

So what causes bipolar disorder?

Researchers believe that a key player is the complex wiring of the brain. Healthy brains preserve robust connections among neurons thru the brain's non-stop efforts to prune and eliminate unused or defective neural connections. This process is important because our neural pathways serve as the map for everything we do. Using functional MRI, scientists found that the brain's thinning ability is disrupted in people with bipolar disorder. This means your neurons are going crazy creating a network that is impossible to navigate. Having only confused signals to guide them, people with bipolar disorder develop abnormal thoughts and behaviors.

Additionally, psychotic symptoms, such as disorganized speech and behavior, delusional thoughts, paranoia, and hallucinations, can appear during the extreme stages of bipolar disorder. This is attributed to the excess of a neurotransmitter called dopamine.

But despite this information, we cannot identify bipolar disorder with just one cause. In reality, it is a complex problem. For example, the amygdala of the brain is involved in thinking, long-term memory, and emotional processing. In this region of the brain, factors as diverse as genetics and social trauma can create abnormalities and trigger symptoms of bipolar disorder.

The disease tends to run in families, so we know genetics have a lot to do with it. But that doesn't mean there is just one bipolar gene. This is because the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder is determined by the interactions between many genes in a complicated recipe that we are still trying to figure out.

The causes are complex and, therefore, diagnosing and living with bipolar disorder is challenging.Despite this, the disorder is controllable. Certain medications like lithium can help manage risky thoughts and behaviors by stabilizing mood. 

These mood stabilizing drugs work by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain, thereby strengthening vital neural connections. Other commonly used drugs include antipsychotics, which alter the effects of dopamine, and electroconvulsive therapy, which works as a carefully controlled seizure in the brain, is sometimes used as emergency treatment.

Some bipolar patients refuse treatment because they fear it will dull their emotions and destroy their creativity. But present-day psychiatry is actively seeking to keep away from this. Today, doctors work with patients on a case-by-case basis to administer a combination of treatments and therapies that allow them to live fully.

 And beyond treatment, people with bipolar disorder can benefit from even easier changes.These include regular exercise, good sleep habits, and sobriety from drugs and alcohol, not to mention the acceptance and empathy of family and friends.

Remember that bipolar disorder is a medical condition, it is not the fault of one person or their entire identity, and it is something that can be controlled by a combination of medical treatments that do their job. internally, friends and family who foster acceptance and understanding from the outside and people with bipolar disorder who strengthen themselves.