About
"My cause was created to help educate and create awareness on Mental Illnesses, a very common illness. The more we know, the more we stop the stigma!"
Bipolar disorder, a mental illness marked by elevated or irritable moods alternating with periods of depression, afflicts about 6 million Americans. Those with Bipolar II tend to have more depression, with the mood swings spread over a longer time and the "up" periods less elevated. The episodes can be triggered by major stress or life changes.
Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression or manic-depressive illness, but its treatment is different from that of depression. It is a chronic brain disorder that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy and ability to function. It is characterized by episodes of mania (being overly ‘high’) and depression (being irritable, sad or hopeless) that can last from days to months. Symptoms often begin in adolescence or early adulthood and can result in poor school performance, poor job performance, damaged relationships, substance abuse, criminal or other irrational behavior and even suicide. Oftentimes depression dominates the clinical picture and mania may go unrecognized, especially if it is mild (called hypomania) or occurs only rarely. However, the recognition of mania is critical to the proper diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which might otherwise be diagnosed as depression (also called unipolar depression). Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia and other mental illness disorders can confuse some and terrify others. Being truthful forthright about your mental illness helps other people understand your mental illness better. It can help others understand, respect, and defeat stigma that all to often comes along with mental illness. The fact is that, mental illness is a real disease. People do get better, the recovery process can begin with medications, therapy and positive treatment plans. There may be relapses, because treatment is not a cure, it is an ongoing process. With diligence and perseverance you can have wellness and productivity in your life.