Tomorrow, March 30, is World Bipolar Disorder Day, a “serious mental disorder characterized by alternating depressive and manic episodes”, as explained by María Novo, a psychologist at the Ribera Polusa hospital, who emphasizes the importance not trivialize or trivialize this type of clinical pictures “that can be disabling”. “We shouldn’t say we’re depressed or anxious when we’re sad or nervous,” she explains. The International Society for Bipolar Disorder (ISBD) estimates that this disorder affects one million people in Spain and around 60 million worldwide.
Despite having such a high incidence, the psychologist from Ribera Polusa explains that “there are frequent erroneous beliefs in society that it is a personality problem, that it is characterized by violent behavior, by an uncontrollable character or that they are simply , transient mood swings; and this leads to the stigmatization of people who live with the disease”.
In the context of World Bipolar Disorder Day, which aims to raise awareness about this condition and eliminate social stigma, María Novo explains to us what are the symptoms that usually appear in people with this pathology and what factors predispose to this pathology. Just a curiosity. This day is commemorated on March 30 in memory of the birth of Vincent Van Gogh, the well-known artist who was diagnosed with this mental illness.
symptoms of bipolar disorder
Returning to bipolar disorder, mental health professionals explain that the presence or absence of symptoms and the alternation of episodes varies between people, establishing different types of bipolar disorder: type I and type II. “In these cases, when we talk about depression, we refer to people who have a low mood, apathy, hopelessness, appetite changes, sleep pattern disturbances, and suicidal ideation, among others; and by mania, another of its manifestations, we understand a state of euphoria, irritability, accelerated thinking, attention difficulty, an increase in activity and a greater probability of carrying out risky behaviors”. Sometimes, along with the above, psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations may appear that are usually in keeping with the mood.
What factors predispose to bipolar disorder?
The psychologist María Novo explains that “there is a genetic predisposition, but it is not necessary to suffer from it.” She also adds that there is research that points to stressful situations, hormonal changes or the abusive consumption of psychoactive substances, among others, as possible triggers for the disease.
He also adds that despite the seriousness of bipolar disorder, the subject of this blog entry, “its management is possible thanks to the combination of pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy, allowing mood stabilization and better coping with the disease and its consequences”.
Most of the hospitals in the Ribera health group have outstanding Mental Health units for the diagnosis and treatment of all types of problems and pathologies, with highly qualified teams of psychologists and psychiatrists.
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