Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder in which the effects who a person feels about the world around and even themselves.  It makes them feel depressed and if left untreated suicide is often the result.  Around 1.5% of the population is effect by some type of the disorder.  Unlike many other disorders, bipolar effects a higher percent of those with a higher social status.

      Bipolar disorder usually comes on while the person is in their early twenties.  It is thought that the disorder is ³polygenetic² meaning dependent upon several genes.  This conclusion was reached because child who have parents with the disorder are up to twenty times more likely to suffer from it.  Though the disorder can cause serious problems, many famous and successful people have suffered from it including Ernest Hemingway and Vincent Van Gogh.

      One of the major steps in treating some one with bipolar disorder is diagnosing it.  People often say they of symptoms similar to those of the disorder as a result of a different disorder.  These symptoms include hearing voices, being possessed by something, and having a sleeping disorder.  In order to determine if a patient suffers from the disorder or not, family members are often questioned to see if the patient acts the way they claims they do.  They are often asked about the patients sleeping since it is hard to fake a sleeping disorder.  A family history is often obtained to help decide if bipolar is a lily candidate.