 |
| Photo by Tom Pumford on Unsplash |
For more than three decades, Wayne Macfadden MD (https://www.internationalpsychiatricservices.com/) has been practicing as a Psychiatrist in clinical, research, and academic settings. The Psychiatrist at the Spirit Lake Indian Nation Tribal Health Center and co-founder of International Psychiatric Services, Wayne Macfadden MD has been involved in dozens of clinical research studies about psychiatric conditions such as Bipolar Disorder.
Bipolar Disorder is characterized by abnormal lows and highs in a person’s mood. "High", or manic episodes create strong feelings of excitement or intense energy. "Low", or depressive episodes include feelings of hopelessness or sadness.
While there are several types of Bipolar Disorder, Type 1 and 2 are the most common and are distinguished by differences in the severity of manic episodes, and by the required presence of a full Depressive Episode in Type 2. .
People with Bipolar Disorder Type I experience full manic episodes at least once in their lives. During these episodes, a person may experience restlessness, poor sleep, exceptional energy, and feelings of euphoria. These symptoms are often so strong that they are noticeable by friends or family members and may require hospitalization. Manic episodes often interfere with a person’s life and can cause problems in school, work, and relationships.
Bipolar Disorder Type II is characterized by the required presence of a Depressive Episodes at least once in the person's life. And when a person with Bipolar Disorder Type II has a manic episode, it is less severe and does not affect the person’s daily responsibilities and functioning as much as Bipolar Disorder Type I. However, depressive symptoms, which may include changes in eating habits and thoughts of suicide, last at least two weeks and often negatively impact the person’s life and functioning.
