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What can you do to
improve the quality
of your life if you
have bipolar
disorder?
REDUCE STRESS
What do I do if I feel suicidal?
It is so important to have a safety plan in
place for if/when you start to feel suicidal,
Make a list of people you can trust: family,
friends, healthcare providers, and
local/national crisis hotlines that you can
call if you are having trouble. The National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-2738255 (TALK). Your life is important. As
strong as suicidal thoughts may seem, they
are a temporary and treatable symptom of
you illness. Know that you CAN get through
this.
COMMUNICATE
RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
BUDGET
TIME MANAGEMENT
SLEEP
EAT RIGHT
EXERCISE
SET REALISTIC EXPECATIONS
BIPOLAR
DISORDER
For more information about bipolar
disorder:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bi
polar-disorder/index.shtml
BIPOLAR DISORDER
NURS 663- Psychopathology
Across the Lifespan
By: Janelle Jones & Meghan
Sullivan
SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
What is happening in the brain in
those with mood disorders?
So you have just been diagnosed with
BIPOLAR DISORDER, now
what?
First of all, you are not alone, You are not
weak. You are not “messed up”. You are
not crazy. There is nothing to be
ashamed of. Mood disorders affect over 22
million Americans. The best thing you can
do to aid in your recovery is to learn all that
you can about your illness and the ways to
live a healthy, productive life with bipolar
disorder.
What is
BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness
characterized by repeated episodes of
elevated and low moods. The elevated
episodes or high energy states are known as
mania and when mood is lowered this is
known as depression. These episodes are
often amidst periods of normal mood states,
otherwise known as euthymia.
A mood disorder, although a mental illness,
can really be thought of as a physical illness
affecting the brain that causes an imbalance
of brain chemicals. The brain chemicals,
otherwise known as neurotransmitters,
most commonly involved in bipolar disorder
are norepinephrine (arousal), serotonin
(eating, sleep, wakefulness, impulsivity,
learning & memory), & dopamine
(pleasure). In bipolar disorder, sometimes
there is either too much or too little of these
brain chemicals in circulation, depending on
if the mood is elevated or lowered. The areas
of the brain where these chemicals like to
hang out, like the frontal cortex (front part
of the brain) & the amygdala (the brain’s
emotional processing center) don’t
communicate effectively with one another
because of too much or too little activity in
these areas leading to the brain being unable
to control mood effectively. Scientists are
studying what causes bipolar disorder and
there is not likely one single cause, but many
factors acting together. Bipolar disorder
tends to run in families because there are
certain genes when inherited increase a
person’s chance of acquiring the illness.
Think of your mood disorder
as a physical illness that
affects your brain.

Sad, irritable, tearful mood

No interest in things that you like to do

Changes in appetite or weight

Sleeping too much or too little

Feeling restless or slowed down

Fatigue, lack of energy

Feeling worthless or excessively guilty

Difficulty concentrating or making
decisions

Thoughts of wanting to die, hurt/kill
oneself
SYMPTOMS OF MANIA

Overly energetic or better than good
mood

Unusually irritable

Feeling like you can do anything

Decreased need for sleep & not feeling
tired

Increased talking, feeling pressured
when speaking

Racing thoughts, many ideas at once

Distracted thoughts

Increase in goal-directed activity

Restlessness

Impulsivity- pursuit of pleasure without
thought of consequences (engaging in
sexual behaviors, spending more money
than usual)