Manic depression or Bipolar depression is actually considered as one of the worst type of depression that people usually suffer from.
It is primarily characterized by extreme mood swings, that is, sudden alternations between periods of euphoric happiness and excessive sadness. Manic is a term derived from ‘mania,’ which pertains to feelings of irrepressible exhilaration. On the other extreme end is depression, which saddles sufferers with feelings of hopelessness and gloom. While people may experience changeable moods such as those related to pre-menstrual disorder (PMS) or stress, the mood swings experienced by manic depressives are of a more severe nature. Moderate mood swings, on the other hand, are sometimes considered as symptoms of depression.
The classical symptoms of manic depression are extreme mood swings to the point of absurdity. These extreme feelings may show up as incongruously excessive irritability at very slight stimuli. Take for example, a person orders a certain ice cream flavor and mistakenly gets served with another flavor. The person afflicted with manic depression will exhibit extreme over-reaction in the form of throwing a colossal tantrum and directing horrendously abusive language at the ice cream vendor. This type of exaggerated reaction cannot be explained as mere acting up of a spoiled brat. These are definite manifestations of manic depression. The manic stage is characterized by periods of excessive energy, liveliness, exuberance, racing thoughts, and irritability. The manic stage may be as short as one day or longer than seven days.
The periods of depression, on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, would present similar characteristics to that of clinical depression. The person goes through extreme feelings of sadness, despondency, worthlessness, enmity, guilt, and despair. Some might even have panic attacks or a sudden indifference to activities that used to give him a lot of enjoyment. Once a person experiences periods of depression that last for more than a week, and likewise exhibits episodes of mania, he will be diagnosed by a therapist as being afflicted with manic depression.
Not withstanding the serious nature of this condition, manic depression can be successfully treated. The illness can be managed by the patient if he conscientiously does what the therapist instructs him to do, including the taking of medications according to their prescribed dosages. Patients derive relief as well from their regular sessions with their therapists wherein they can freely let go of their bottled-up emotions and get wise guidance concerning their condition.
There have also been some encouraging results from the use of natural alternative treatment modalities on manic depression. However, the widely preferred treatment for this condition is still cognitive behavioral therapy from trained psychiatrists. These health professionals remain the most reputable and knowledgeable experts in treating manic depression.
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