Sunday, June 21, 2009

Bipolar Mania and Bipolar Support Groups

By Ken P Doyle

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive illness, is a serious mood disorder that affects approximately one percent of Americans. Though many people focus on the depressive episodes associated with the illness, it's important to note that bipolar mania requires just as much attention and support.

What are the Symptoms of Bipolar Mania?

A lot of people experience bipolar mania also described as "hyper active.Mania, the opposite of depression with its common symptoms as increased energy, decreased need for sleep, rapid speech, euphoria, hypersexuality and impulsiveness.

Common but not always noticeable by family or friends is another symptom connected to thoughts which are disjointed and running. Those suffering from bipolar mania are easily distracted even by things that are not very important and jump from topic to topic quickly, making "clang associations," which is the association of words based on sound rather than meaning.

Patients with bipolar mania are impulsive and with impaired judgment do not think about the consequences of their actions. Endangering others, patients can lead reckless and risky behaviors. In helping people, treat and manage bipolar it is important they be linked to a support group.

What Support is there for Bipolar Mania?

Those struggling with bipolar mania, benefit a lot from support groups helping him/her put feelings, decisions, and thoughts into proper perspective. Usually in addition to seeing a psychiatrist or counselor on a regular basis, bipolar support groups are incorporated into the regular psychotherapy for the treatment of manic depressive illness.

Offering expert advice about comments and questions that come up, bipolar support groups are comprised of patients which is led by a counselor or psychiatrist who facilitates meetings and gets patients conversing. Because many of the decisions they're making are from the illness and not from how they are feeling, support groups can be a good "sounding board" for patients with bipolar.

People with bipolar depression can get the support they want, but because they feel "good" when at the manic episode, they don't want to seek the support they need, and this can be just as dangerous as not getting help when feeling depressed. Great resources can be offered by bipolar support groups to those with bipolar mania or depression episodes.

Getting more information on Bipolar.

There's lots of information available online about bipolar mania and bipolar support groups. One very valuable website is knowingbipolardisorder.com, which is an authority on educating the public about manic depressive illness. The site covers a variety of topics helpful to patients, as well as their friends and family, cope with the disease, including specific articles about bipolar mania and bipolar support groups.

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