Bipolar disorder is considered to be the chameleon of Psychiatric disorders. The presentation of symptoms changes from one patient to the next and even from one episode to the next in the same patient. Bipolar disorder can lie dormant for a time only to sneak up on the individual years later worse than before. Due to this “hibernation of symptoms,” individuals do not see the need for treatment until it awakens catching the individual completely off guard.

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder. Mood disorder is defined by the negative aspects of an individuals mood. So to simplify the definition of bipolar disorder or mood disorder, we could say that instead of happiness there is sadness, instead of optimism there is pessimism, instead of being energetic there is a feeling of fatigue. When a person is in a low mood

Along with Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders, there is another less severe type of bipolar disorder called cyclothymic disorder. This disorder is thought of as less sever because it is characterized by frequent short periods of depressive symptoms followed by short periods of slight hypomania and then followed by periods of normalcy. Cyclothymic disorder is so short in duration and so slight in magnitude of depression and mania, that until recently, it was thought of as simply an expression of an individuals personality rather than an illness or disorder. Eventually though most cyclothymic disorder sufferer’s experience a full depression or manic episode.

All of these treatments listed have their own unique effectiveness and unfortunately their own horrible side effects. But when comparing bipolar disorder and it’s risks versus the treatments I have listed and their risks, I believe the choice is very clear.

The fourth and final type of treatment is Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) which is a highly effective treatment for both mania and depression and provides relief from the symptoms of bipolar disorder. This therapy in its most basic form is “shock therapy” and is usually thought of and used as a last resort. The most troubling side effect of ECT is memory loss. About two-thirds of all patients that undergo ECT report some level of memory loss.

Bipolar disorder is for the most part still a mystery. There is no x-ray or blood test used to diagnose an individual with bipolar disorder, it in fact is diagnosed using the eyes and ears. Psychiatrists listen to patients and patients family members describe the above mentioned symptoms and they assess their onset, course, fluctuation and impact upon the patient. Psychiatrists perform what is called a mental status examination, which is the equivalent to a medical doctor performing a physical examination. This mental status examination consists of examining speech patters and behavior, asking questions about their mood and evaluating concentration and memory. These evaluation results are then transformed into a description of a category of illness and from this, a course of treatment is selected.

The third treatment group for bipolar disorder is the Antipsychotic medications. These drugs in addition to causing sleep and quieting the patient also cause

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