Bipolar Mood Disorder

Somehow every one of us suffer from mood swings in our life. Basically mood swings within a range from which you are able to attain your optimal mood are considered as normal. However, there are mental states where in these mood swings can go to extremes. Bipolar Mood Disorder is one of the most complex but interesting disorder in psychiatry. The upswing of mood called as mania shows features which can be remembered by an acronym DIGFAST.

DIGFAST

D – Distractibility – The attention, decision making and concentration of individual is not sustainable
I – Indiscretion – excessive involvement in pleasurable activities Impulsivity.
G – Grandiosity – Ideas of sense of inflated self-esteem, boasting or making false claims about self
F – Flights of ideas – jumping from one idea to another with or without connection
A – Activity increased – Over involvement in work, over religious, excessively philosophical, hyperactive thorough out the day.
S – Sleep – Reduced requirement for sleep which means sleeps less still remains energetic throughout the day.
T – Talkativeness – Talkative more than usual and at times disinhibited behavior and over familiarity.

So basically mania is a state of mind with loss of insight. It can be diagnosed only if symptoms prevail more than 7 days or 3 days, patient needs to be admitted. Some patients can experience milder forms of these symptoms which are known as Hypomania.

Bipolar Disorder has many types out of which most common ones are…

Type 1 which has episodes of mania and Depression
Type 2 where in patient’s experience Hypomania and depression alternatingly.

Bipolar mood disorder episodes can vary with variations in seasons, addictions or psychological stress. Some features like suspiciousness, delusions and hallucinations are also uncommonly seen in this disorder. A patient on treatment can live a totally normal life with full functioning.