Bipolar

15 Pages 3796 Words

t, creative, and talented. With this creativity comes madness, they are very emotionally sensitive; they lack confidence in themselves and their relationships, and in the working world. Many have learned to overcome the madness and manage the disorder; they are successful artist, actors, poets, writers, and college graduates. Their success is due to drug therapy, psychotherapy, and behavior management. Once you understand the causes and symptoms of the illness itself, you will be able to take control of your treatment and learn to manage it.
You ask yourself, what causes bipolar disorder? Most doctors believe that bipolar disorder is primarily biological rather than psychological. A number of genes have been identified that may be related to the disorder. Bipolar disorder seems to run in families. Dr. John Nurnberger, a recognized authority and researcher on the disorder stated, "If a first-degree relative is affected with bipolar illness, one's risk is 25 percent, as compared with about 7 percent in the general population. For a child with two affected parents, it's 50 percent. If one's identical twin is affected, the risk is about 65%" ("Post…" 271). If you have a number of relatives with the bipolar disorder or depression, the chance may be greater.
There is no one proven cause of bipolar disorder. Medical research is trying to find a connection between the illness and chemical deficits with the brain cells. It suggests that bipolar disorder is most likely an inherited problem somehow related to a lack of stability in the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain due to chemical deficits. Serotonin is the most common believed deficit, two others are norephinephrine and dopamine. This biochemical imbalance makes those with bipolar disorder more susceptible to physical and emotional stress. If there is some kind of trauma, lack of sleep, substance use, or some other over stimulation, the normal brain function for restoring calm d...