13/08/2025
📌What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects a person's mood, energy, and ability to function.
It is characterised by extreme mood swings that range from highs( mania or hypomania), where a person feels extremely happy , energetic , to lows ( depression), where a person feels extremely sad, hopelessness .
♻️ Mania
Mania is an emotional state characterised by an extremely elevated mood , increased energy, and impulsive behaviour.
♻️ Symptoms of mania
☑️Emotional symptoms
1. Elevated mood
2. Irritability
☑️Behavioural symptoms
1. Talking excessively
2. Decreased need for sleep
3. Excessive involvement in risky behaviour
☑️Cognitive symptoms
1.Racing thoughts
2. Distractibility
3. Poor judgement or decision-making
☑️Psychotic symptoms
1.Delusions
2. Hallucinations
♻️ Depression is a mood disorder marked by persistent sadness and loss of interest in activities.
✴️Symptoms of depression
1. Loss of interest
2. Fatigue
3. Feeling of worthlessness
✳️ symptoms of bipolar disorder
☑️feeling very happy and excited
☑️feeling very irritable or aggressive
☑️insomnia or hypersomnia
☑️more talkative than usual
☑️racing thoughts
☑️distractibility
☑️too self confident
☑️risky behaviour ( impulsive decisions).
📍 Types of bipolar disorder
According to the DSM-5 and APA , bipolar disorder is categorised into three main types :
✅️ Bipolar - 1 disorder
Bipolar - 1 disorder is characterised by at least one manic episode, which may be followed by hypomanic or depressive episodes.
✅️Bipolar -2 disorder
Al least one major depressive episodes ,
Al least one hypomanic episode
✅️Cyclothymic disorder
chronic symptoms of hypomania and mild depression for 2+ years ( 1+ years in children)
🔎 Causes of bipolar disorder
✳️Genetic factors
Bipolar disorder is commonly runs in families, individuals with the disorder having a relative with a mood disorder.
✳️ Environmental factors
Environmental stressors such as life events ( childhood trauma, sleep pattern, stress, substance use) can trigger mood episodes. Divorce or unemployment can be associated with the development of bipolar disorder.
✳️ Neurotransmitter
Bipolar disorder is caused by abnormalities in various Neurotransmitter such as norepinephrine, serotonin, GABA.
✳️ Brain structure
Eker et. al.found that bipolar disorder is caused by structural defects in the brain.
🎗Early intervention = better outcome.
📌Sadiya
Habibullah bahar college
Psychology department
Honours 4th year
Poster:Fareha Moure