So You’ve Been Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder

Written by Brian Cook


If you’ve been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) you are not alone. It has been estimated that over 2 million people inrepparttar United States suffer from this form of mental illness which involves episodes of both mania and depression.

Although bipolar disorder usually begins in childhood or early adulthood, it is often not recognized as an illness. And, because it is sometimes misdiagnosed, individuals who have it often suffer needlessly although treatment is available. Left untreated, those with bipolar disorder sometimes experience serious complications, including an inability to keep a stable job, abuse of drugs and alcohol, marriage problems, and even suicide.

Symptoms of mania can include: decreased need for sleep; excessive feelings of euphoria; extreme distractibility; racing thoughts and rapid talking; decreased need for sleep; drug abuse; and a denial that anything is wrong. Depressive symptoms, (the flip-side of manic depression) may include: difficulty sleeping; loss of appetite; feelings of hopelessness; decreased energy; persistent sad mood; loss of interest in pleasurable activities; and thoughts of death or suicide.

It is important to recognizerepparttar 149219 various mood states experienced by individuals with bipolar disorder so that they can obtain effective treatment. Unfortunately, this illness often goes unrecognized by everyone involved, including family, friends, physicians, and evenrepparttar 149220 patient.

An early stage of this illness often manifested is hypomania, in whichrepparttar 149221 person suffering from it shows a high level of energy, excessive moodiness or irritability, and impulsive behavior. Ironically, hypomania may feel good torepparttar 149222 person who experiences it. Unfortunately though, if left untreated, bipolar disorder tends to get worse, andrepparttar 149223 person typically will experience episodes of full-fledged mania and clinical depression. Fortunately, most people with manic depressive illness can be helped with treatment, specifically medications and therapy.

Just What Do We Mean by ABUSE Anyway?

Written by Rosella Aranda


For most people,repparttar word abuse implies violent and malicious behavior. In fact, most mistreatment does NOT fall into that category. ALL MISTREATMENT LEAVES EMOTIONAL SCARS There are several basic types of mistreatment, but one thing that all types of mistreatment have in common is that they all cause great mental suffering. It’s important to realize that this damage occurs even ifrepparttar 148054 abuse is committed out of ignorance or exhaustion or any other mitigating factors.

Children have no way of discerning between intentional or unintentional harm. To them, it all hurts justrepparttar 148055 same. PHYSICAL MISTREATMENT AND NEGLECT Physical abuse includes any kind of corporal punishment: hitting, pushing, slapping, burning, biting, and even yanking. You often see parents yanking their children by repparttar 148056 arm as if they were dragging something by a leash. These behaviors may or may not leave physical scars, butrepparttar 148057 emotional scars always remain. There is also neglect, which is a deprivation of basic necessities: food, clothing, shelter, medical attention or adequate supervision. Leaving children alone who are too young to be in charge of themselves and their own safety is not only dangerous. It is cruel. The child might assurerepparttar 148058 parents that it’s okay with him because he senses that that’s what his parents want. In reality,repparttar 148059 child may be terrified of staying alone and even more afraid to say so. WITNESSING PHYSICAL ABUSE IS EQUALLY ABUSIVE Most people do not recognize that just witnessing physical abuse is also horrifying and extremely damaging. Ifrepparttar 148060 parents beat up on each other andrepparttar 148061 kid is forced to watch or hear or even witnessrepparttar 148062 aftermath, no one gets out of that scenario unscathed. SEXUAL ABUSE IS NOT CONFINED TO INTERCOURSE Sexual abuse occurs when a child is forced, tricked, or threatened to engage in any kind of sexual behavior. It is not limited to penetration or fellatio or fondling. It includes even watching or listening to any kind of sexual activity. Most people do not realize that sexual violation also occurs when there is a distortion of boundaries: • Grown-ups walking in on kids without regard for their intimate space • Grown-ups being too seductively clad or unclad • Oglingrepparttar 148063 child in a state of undress • Making sexual observations about someone’s body These are all inappropriate behaviors and they leaverepparttar 148064 child feeling very confused and uneasy. They might not understand why they feel bad, but it becomes a great source

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