Life is what you make it.
Recently I had read a book written by Preethi Shenoy ‘Life is what you make it’. Preethi Shenoy is also the author of ’34 Bubblegums and Candies’. ‘Life is what you make it’ is the story of a girl, Ankita who is suffering from Bipolar Disorder.
I am not going to write a review about the book neither am I going to comment on it. I am going to discuss about the problem which caught my interest to read the book, around which the story has been weaved- Bipolar Disorder. I also happened to watch a Tamil movie, which was based on the same medical condition. Now why this sudden surge of movies and books on this condition? What is Bipolar Disorder? Is the problem as critical as it seems, in the books and in the movies? What if somebody whom we knew or is close to us, is suffering from this condition and not aware of it? I thought let me just write an article, giving an overview about this medical condition and bring some awareness. There is a lot of information available in the web about Bipolar Disorder.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar Disorder is a manic- depressive illness, which causes unusual shifts in the mood, activity level and energy. Everybody goes through the usual mood swings, where at times we all feel happy for some unknown reason and would just love to sing or dance or do something crazy. Maybe cook up a great meal or do anything that we feel happy doing. There are days, when we feel low and something is just not right. There is nothing that we can fathom and point at a reason. These are the usual ups and downs of the mood.
However, the symptoms of bipolar disorder can be severe. Just imagine we experience the urge to run for miles one day and just not want to get up from bed on some other day. Such may be the severity of this condition. This example might sound funny, but we have to realize that it is not something as simple as that. It can lead to poor performance at work, school or even damage relationships.
What causes Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar Disorder could be Genetic:
Some research has suggested that, Bipolar Disorder could be because of the genes running in the family. Children with a parent or sibling, who is suffering from this medical condition, are likely to suffer from Bipolar Disorder. However the research has also suggested that, most of the children with a family history of Bipolar Disorder are not likely to suffer from the illness.
Apart from the fact that Bipolar Disorder is determined by the genes there are also other factors which cause this medical condition.
Hormonal problems: Hormonal imbalances are likely to cause Bipolar Disorder.
Brain- Chemical imbalance: The nerves play a very important role in the functioning of the brain. There are some neurotransmitters imbalances which are likely to trigger this condition.
Biological traits: Patients suffering from this condition, often experience physical changes occurring in the brain. However nobody is sure as to why these changes trigger a disorder.
Outside/Environmental factors: Physical/verbal abuse, mental stress or the loss of someone dear, may also lead to a bipolar condition. Each of us reacts differently to different situations. Some people can cope with the loss of someone and come out of the trauma in a very short span of time, while there are some individuals to who even the loss of a job is immeasurable.
Now let us look into the signs and symptoms of Bipolar Disorder.
Signs and symptoms during hypo manic episodes:
1. High levels of energy
2. Over self confidence
3. A feeling of being on top of the world
4. The individual talks a lot and more rapidly
5. The sufferer is likely to engage in dangerous risky activities
6. The person may lack concentration and gets distracted very fast
7. There is the feeling of euphoria where the individual believes that there is nothing that he/she cannot achieve.
Signs and symptoms of depressive episodes:
1. Low energy levels where the person tends to underperform
2. Extreme sadness and a feeling of despair
3. Sleeping problems: Either difficulty in falling asleep or sleeping too much
4. Feeling anxious and getting worked up over even small issues
5. Extreme tiredness
6. Getting irritated over small things like the noise of children playing etc.
7. Change in the eating patterns, sometimes the patient binges on food and sometimes will starve
8. Does not enjoy in doing any of the activities which he/she earlier enjoyed doing
Medical help:
Almost everyone who has been diagnosed with this medical condition will have to seek the help of a medical professional or a Psychiatrist. Medicines alone cannot cure Bipolar Disorder, although they help to manage the symptoms.
Self help means; first the patient needs to fully understand the illness. It is necessary to look out for the mood swings and control them at an early stage. Self management can be tiring, but it will make life much easier and reduce the constant need to rely on medicines and professional help.
Complementary therapies like reflexology and massages may also help to control the mood swings. It is necessary to engage in activities like swimming and yoga which will help to relax the body and calm the mind.
Remember, Bipolar Disorder is not a disease. It is just a mental condition which can be managed with proper medical treatments at the right time and from the support of family and friends. At the end of the day- Life is what you make it.
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