Health
Bipolar Disorder: Know the Symptoms and How to Diagnose?
Overview
Well, to start with, Bipolar disorder is a condition with a mood disorder. Patients suffering from it suffer from extreme mood changes. their mood fluctuates from being very happy or excited about be really sad and depressed at the very next moment. well, not every person suffering from it experience this extreme mod change, in fact, there are certain stages of bipolar disorder which are mentioned below:
- Bipolar I
- Bipolar II
- Rapid cycling
- Cyclomatic Disorder
- Mixed Features
One thing that all those readers who are reading this article and are not suffering from bipolar disorder should note is that if you guys are thinking that these mood swings are just some ups and down, then you are getting a completely wrong idea. the mood swing that a person suffering from bipolar disorder is extreme that the majority of us don’t ever go through in our lives. but fortunately, apart from these mood swings, these people lead a normal life just like any other healthy person would.
About the Mood peaks
In this section, we are going to talk about the mood swings that people with bipolar disorder get. during a mood peak, an excited patient can even spend a lot of money maxing out his bank cards. these mood swings occur in situations like sex, drug intake, alcohol consumption, betting or gambling and more. this emotional outburst can affect the patients very negatively making them lose their jobs, getting them under large debts, and even make them commit self-harm. And this is not all, what follows after these manic episodes are even worse. people go through depression after these manic episodes. the duration of this depression can range from a few hours to days and even months.
Well, as it is mentioned above the severity of manic episode is significantly affected by the stage of your bipolar disorder. some patients only get mild bouts of emotional outburst while others that are in the early phase of disorder don’t even experience any manic episodes.
Does Bipolar disorder run in the family?
yes, bipolar disorder can become a genetic medical problem and unfortunately, researchers are unable to figure out the exact cause of it yet. so, if you are expecting a new member in your family or if someone in your family has bipolar this problem, then there are chances that this problem can be transmitted to you too.
Start Admitting that you are suffering from bipolar disorder
The symptoms of bipolar disorder are hard to recognize in the initial phase but as the intensity of the problem increases the manic bouts can become very extreme. in the initial phases of bipolar disorder, the manic attacks are not harmful to the patients but as it progresses the manic attacks can be harmful to the patient’s life.
One of the bigger problems that come in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder is that often it is misdiagnosed as depression and this poses a problem as the medications for both these problems are different. a common combination of medicines for bipolar disorder patients is of antidepressant and a mood stabilizer. but sometimes doctors prescribe only an anti-depressant which can lead the patient into an extreme manic attack phase. therefore, one important step which is crucial for the treatment of bipolar disorder is to accept the truth that you are suffering from bipolar disorder.
Don’t worry? Bipolar disorder can be treated
Yes, there are various treatments available for bipolar disorder. some of them include medications and therapies. but a combination of both medicines and therapy provides the best result for the patients. making yourself aware of the symptoms of this condition can be very helpful during the treatment. this way your participation in the treatment of your disorder will become active. do whatever you can to learn more about the problems and possible symptoms. maintain a diary, make notes, there are tons of ways by which you can learn a lot about your problem.
another crucial step for the treatment of bipolar disorder is to communicate with people. be open and discuss with people you trust about your condition and collect their feedback and opinions. building a nice support group around yourself will help you in your own treatment.
How does Mood Stabilizers help in treatment?
Mood stabilizers are the most effective medication for the treatment of bipolar disorder. all the spikes that occur during a panic attack are evened out by mood stabilizers and this way your mood is stabilized.
some of the examples of mood stabilizers include Topamax, Lithobid, Lamictal, Tegretol, Depakote, Depakene etc. one of the limitations that doctors face while prescribing a mood stabilizer is that it is difficult to figure the right mood stabilizer for a patient in one go. now one thing to keep in mind is that maintain a strict timetable for the doses of the medications prescribed by your doctor and make sure not to skip a dose or overdose on the pills.
When and what other medicines are prescribed during the treatment?
Well, Mood stabilizers don’t work for every bipolar disorder patient and therefore, a doctor may prescribe some other medications too in addition to the mood stabilizers. tablets like Symbyax is prescribed by the doctors to the patients who are on the recovery phase of their treatment and it helps in stabilizing the occasional manic bouts that might occur during the recovery.
Possible side effects of the medications
well, like any other medicine mood stabilizers also have their side-effects that might be observed by you if you overdose your consumption or consume an expired pill. some of the common side effects of mood stabilizers are drowsiness, weight gain, fatigue and irritation in the stomach. but since the treatment duration of bipolar disorder goes for a long time, therefore, your body gets accustomed to the side-effects and as the time passes, the side-effects cease to be observed. but in case, if you observe intense effects of the side-effects. then contacting your doctor immediately is the best step to be taken.
Dosage instructions for medications
In many cases, the treatment is run for a lifetime to allow the patients to lead their life normally without having to worry about the manic attacks. and as we mentioned above, maintaining a strict regime of taking medicines is one of the crucial measures for the treatment of your disorder. stick to the dosage instructions prescribed by your doctor. if you feel that there is a need for a change in the dosage, consult with your doctor about that first.
Meditation and other therapies
So, until now we discussed the medications that are prescribed for the treatment of bipolar disorder but no discussion about the therapies was made yet. well, therapy is important of the treatment for bipolar disorder. In this section, we are going to talk about the different types of therapies that are available for the treatment of bipolar disorder patients.
- Interpersonal and Social rhythm therapy
interpersonal and Social rhythm therapy sessions are prescribed to the patients for the treatment of disruptions occurring in the biological rhythm. biological rhythm includes processes like sleep triggers and disturbances.
- Family Focused therapy
As the name suggests, family-focused therapy includes your family members and your friends in the treatment. the main objective of this therapy is to help you build a strong support system around you with which you can discuss your improvements and problems.
- Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy is done to treat your pessimistic behavior. it helps in getting rid of the negative thoughts that you get when you are depressed. this way cognitive therapy helps in changing your behavior into an optimistic one.
Start communicating with other people like you
You know who is the best person to consult when you suffer from a mental disorder? People who are also suffering from the similar condition, in this case specifically, people who are also suffering from bipolar disorder. communicating with other patients will allow you to gather helpful experiences and feedbacks from alike people. this will also help you in building a support group for yourself which in itself is an effective therapy.
Lifestyle tips that will help you get better results during your treatment
- Avoid alcohol and drug abuse
Alcohol or any drug abuse can be very harmful to you if you are suffering from bipolar disorder. Overconsumption of alcohol will only make your manic attacks even worse. Similar will be the case with drug abuse. So, keeping yourself away from the exposure to both alcohol and smoking will help you in getting better results in your treatment.
- Maintain a regular fitness regime
Maintaining a regular fitness regime is extremely beneficial for any individual. Regular exercise not only keeps your body fit externally but also maintains the internal mineral balance which in turn leads to balanced hormone levels. This avoids sudden spikes in hormones which is responsible for the polar change.
- Knowing what, when and how much to eat
Diet plays a major role in anything that happens in the body. “You eat what you are” is rightly justified because the food that enters the body decides the changes that happen from that point onwards. Making the right choice on what to eat is crucial. Food rich in fats should be avoided and energy source should be mainly carbohydrates and proteins. The meals taken should be rightly balanced and there should be minimal snacking between meals to avoid unnecessary hormonal spikes.
To address the increasing number of rape and defilement cases in Lagos communities, the State Ministry of Health has trained healthcare workers on the prevention and management of sexual assault cases.
The Director, Public Affairs in the ministry, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, in a statement on Monday said the training equipped health workers with the knowledge and skills to provide professional, compassionate, and timely care to survivors.
Dr Folasade Oludara, Director, Family Health and Nutrition, State Ministry of Health, said the growing number of rape and defilement cases in Lagos communities necessitated the upskilling of healthcare workers who are often the first responders to survivors.
Oludara, represented by Dr Oluwatosin Onasanya, Deputy Director, Child Health, said the government recognised the critical role of health professionals in both clinical management and legal documentation of sexual assault cases.
She explained that the training was designed to ensure healthcare workers are adequately equipped to identify, document, and manage sexual assault cases effectively.
According to her, the training will strengthen Lagos’ coordinated health system response to gender-based violence.
She disclosed that the state government had already provided equipment and specimen collection tools to health facilities, noting that the training complemented this investment by building the competence of personnel handling such sensitive cases.
Oludara explained that doctors and nurses at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels who serve as first contact points for survivors were carefully selected from all 57 LGAs and LCDAs, particularly from areas with higher incident rates.
The SGBV Programme Manager, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Juradat Aofiyebi, emphasised that the capacity-building initiative was a strategic step toward improving survivor-centred healthcare delivery and prosecution outcomes.
Aofiyebi added that the training underscored the government’s commitment to reducing the prevalence of sexual assault through a robust, multi-sectoral approach.
“The training provides healthcare workers with the knowledge to properly identify survivors, document findings accurately, and provide comprehensive care, all of which contribute to justice delivery and prevention of repeat offences.
She said the ministry would sustain such training to ensure that every survivor who presented at a Lagos health facility received quality, non-judgmental care.
Mrs Adebanke Ogunde, Deputy Director, Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lagos State Ministry of Justice, highlighted the importance of medical documentation in sexual assault trials.
She explained that most convictions hinge on the quality of medical reports and forensic evidence provided by healthcare professionals, noting that medical reports served as vital corroborative evidence in court, particularly in cases involving children.
“Your medical reports are crucial; they can determine whether justice is served or denied,” she said.
Ogunde reminded health workers of their legal duty to report suspected sexual assault cases to the police or the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).
Similarly, Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, Consultant Family Physician, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), underscored the importance of timely medical attention, psychosocial support, and non-stigmatising care for survivors.
Sodipo explained that immediate presentation within 72 hours of assault improved chances of preventing infections and collecting viable forensic evidence.
He commended Lagos State for sustaining its inter-agency collaboration and continuous professional training on SGBV.
Sodipo, however, called for the strengthening of DNA and forensic capacities, improved insurance coverage, and better remuneration for healthcare workers.
“We must sustain motivation and continuous retraining if we want to retain skilled professionals and enhance justice outcomes,” he added.
Also, Mrs Margret Anyebe, Claims Officer, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), said domestic and sexual violence response had been integrated into the ILERA EKO Health Insurance Scheme.
Anyebe explained that survivors of sexual and domestic violence are covered for medical treatment, investigations, and follow-up care under the state’s Equity Fund for vulnerable groups.
“Hospitals are to provide first-line care, document, and refer survivors appropriately, while LASHMA ensures prompt reimbursement and oversight,” she said.
The technical session of the ongoing National Council on Health (NCH) meeting on Monday reviewed 35 out of the 82 policy memos submitted ahead of full Council deliberations scheduled for later in the week.
Dr Kamil Shoretire, Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, disclosed this on Tuesday during the Technical Session of the 66th Regular meeting of the NCH ongoing in Calabar, Cross River.
He said that 10 of the memos considered were recommended for Council’s approval, eight were noted, and 18 stepped down for further work.
According him, two additional memos were deferred and will be re-presented after revisions are made.
At the reconvening of the session, Ms Kachallom Daju, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said that there were five memos from the Coordinating Minister of Health, adding that they were all related to the Department of Food and Drugs.
Daju said that the memos were stepped down on Monday and scheduled for re-presentation.
She also provided clarification on the previously contentious healthcare waste-management memo, explaining that the N3.5 million requests tied to the proposal had already been repurposed by the Global Fund.
“I have followed up, and I am informed that the funds have been reprogrammed. Just so we put it to rest, we will not be discussing that memo anymore,” she said.
She also said that the final memo considered on Monday was the proposal for the inclusion of telemedicine services under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
“The next memo scheduled for presentation is the proposal for the establishment of Medipool as a Group Purchasing Organisation (GPO) for medicines and health commodities in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Dr Oritseweyimi Ogbe, Secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC), formally notified the Council of the establishment of Medipool, a new public-private GPO created to strengthen the procurement of medicines and health commodities nationwide.
Presenting an information memorandum at the technical session, Ogbe explained that Medipool was the first nationally approved GPO designed to leverage economies of scale, negotiate better prices, and ensure quality-assured medicines.
He said this was beginning with primary healthcare facilities funded through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
According to him, Medipool was established after a proposal to the Ministry of Health, followed by appraisals and endorsements by the Project Implementation and Verification Committee (PIVAC) and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).
“It subsequently received Federal Executive Council approval, with MOFI now owning 10 per cent of the company’s shares. The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission has also approved its operations.
“Under the model, Medipool will work with Drug Management Agencies (DMAs) in all states to aggregate national demand and negotiate directly with reputable manufacturers to obtain competitive prices and guaranteed-quality supplies.
“The platform will function as a one-stop shop for DMAs, who will then distribute medicines to health facilities through existing state structures.”
Ogbe added that while Medipool will initially focus on BHCPF-supported primary healthcare centres, it was expected to expand to other levels of care nationwide.
“The organisation will provide regular reports to the ministry of health and participate in national logistics working groups to ensure transparency, oversight, and technical guidance,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Day One of the 66th NCH technical session opened with a call reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to advancing Universal Health Coverage under the theme “My Health, My Right”.
“The delegates also adopted the amended report of the 65th NCH, setting the stage for informed deliberations.
The implementation status of the 19 resolutions from the previous Council was also reviewed, highlighting progress and gaps.
The authorities of Police Clinic in Port Harcourt have reported high cases of Malaria in its facility.
The revelation was made by Mrs Udoh Mba Robert, a Chief Superintendent of Police and senior medical personnel in the Clinic.
She told The Tide that,”the Hospital admits sixty (60) to seventy (70) patients in a month”.
On how the facility runs, she stated that the hospital is under the National Health Insurance Scheme as most patients are treated almost free.
She maintained that staff of the hospital have been trained professionally to manage health issues that come under the purview of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Mrs. Robert explained that malaria treatment also falls under NHIA, as patients are expected to pay only 10 per cent for their treatment while the government takes care of the outstanding bills.
NHIA, she further stated covers treatment and care for uniform personnel like the police force, military men, civil servants and all others working for the government.
Urging the public to seek professional medical attention, Mrs. Robert said the facility is open to workers in the federal services, especially police staff.
Favour Umunnakwe, Victory Awaji, Excel Nnodim
