Manic depression disorder is what most people know as bipolar disorder. It is called manic and depressive because one person can go from feeling with lots of energy to have no intention to move. It is a disorienting condition depicted by extreme shifts in mood. To understand it a little better imagine a roller coaster, it moves very slow to the top were excitement and adrenaline are waiting in the top, the thing is that after feeling in the “top of the world”, the roller coaster goes down and so the person’s mood. It drops to a relentless depression. The shifts and their intensity vary from one person to another and it is affecting 2% of all the American adults.
How is manic depression caused?

Genetics: it is said that “it runs in the families”, this appear when there are abnormal chromosomes which can be inherited

Abnormal brain activity: it is revealed by doing imaging scans and other tests to the brain

Neurotransmitters: due to an elevated level of vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2)

Infectious agents like viruses: researchers are still observing how viruses like the Borna virus and the herpes simplex 2 may cause bipolar disorder

Which are the common symptoms of manic depressive patients ?

When talking about symptoms these must be listed in two different categories. One for manic phases and the others for depressive phases. They can appear at the same time but the type of disorder is called Mixed manic depression.

Manic:

Unrealistic plans
Less sleep and food than needed
A person can stay up all night without accomplishing anything because he or she was easily distracted.
A person may talk very quickly from subject to subject
Self-esteem may be inflated
Decisions regarding business and finances are often made hurriedly and without consideration
Clothing choices may also change, brighter clothes

Depressive:

Sadness and crying
People who are depressed may not care enough about personal appearance
These people may sleep too much or have difficulty getting to sleep
No interest in food at all or they eat excessively
People with depression have trouble thinking
They withdraw from friends
Depression brings feelings of hopelessness
People who are depressed may not see a point in living anymore and may actually think about ways to kill themselves.

Which are the best treatments recommended for manic depression test patients?

The best treatment begins once the patient has received the correct diagnosis. After that, there are many things that will help the patient such as medications like “mood stabilizers” and antidepressants. People who suffer from bipolar disorder have trouble with the thyroid so, monitoring it is very important. Besides that, counseling and therapies may help enormously to know the patients personal triggers and will teach him/her to spot the manic depression disorders relapses.