Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is one of the oldest known illnesses. Extensive research reveals that there was some mention of the symptoms in early medical records, which date back to the 1600’s. Bipolar was first noticed as far back as the second century. Aretaeus of Cappadocia (a city in ancient Turkey) first recognized some symptoms of mania and depression, and felt they could be linked to each other. Aretaeus’s findings went unnoticed and unsubstantiated until 1650, when a scientist named Richard Burton wrote a book, The Anatomy of Melancholia, which focused specifically on depression. His findings are still used today by many in the mental health field, and he is credited with being the father of depression as a mental illness. Bipolar is defined as: Relating to a major affective disorder that is characterized by episodes of mania and depression. However, in this paper you will find that bipolar disorder is much more than what is written in that little sentence. This paper will outline the different types of bipolar disorder, the backgrounds, treatments, diagnostic procedures, symptoms and behavioral changes, bipolar chromosomes, and the genetic aspect of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar Disorder is recognized by the manic and depressive episodes that a person will experience when the medication is not working. The American Psychiatric Association has made and published a list that details the symptoms of a person when they are in their manic period. During the manic period at least three of the following are present symptoms: Inflated self esteem or grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, talkativeness, racing thoughts, distractibility, increased physical activity, increased mental activity, increased sexual activity, and reckless behavior such as spending/shopping sprees, promiscuity, foolish business investments, and erratic driving. Many people who are in the manic phase and who don not know that they are bipolar will often try to self medicate using drugs, such as sleeping