Various environmental risk factors have been associated with increased risk of bipolar disorder. These include childhood adversity, substance use, older parents at birth, some ethnic backgrounds, and some obstetric complications.
The etiology and clinical course of bipolar disorder are considered to be determined by genetic and environmental factors.
Bipolar disorder is frequently inherited, with genetic factors accounting for approximately 80% of the cause of the condition. Bipolar disorder is the most likely psychiatric disorder to be passed down from family. If one parent has bipolar disorder, there's a 10% chance that their child will develop the illness.
Social environmental factors can predict a more severe course of bipolar depression. Childhood abuse is associated with a more severe illness course. Trauma exposure is associated with more severe chronic stress and greater reactivity to negative life events.
Researchers believe that in some individuals, stressful life events can trigger the illness. Stressful events might include grief over a death in the family, trauma, loss of a job, the birth of a child or moving into a new home. Alcohol or drug use may also be a factor.
Childhood traumatic events are risk factors for developing bipolar disorders, in addition to a more severe clinical presentation over time (primarily an earlier age at onset and an increased risk of suicide attempt and substance misuse).
Bipolar disorder often runs in families, and research suggests this is mostly explained by heredity—people with certain genes are more likely to develop bipolar disorder than others. Many genes are involved, and no one gene can cause the disorder. But genes are not the only factor.
Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally, as well as all races, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic classes. Although men and women appear to be equally affected by bipolar disorder, rapid cycling is seen more often in women. Women also tend to experience more depressive and mixed state episodes than do men.
Many people often assume mental illness simply runs in families. This is true, but genetics are only a part of it. These disorders actually occur due to a combination of factors, including a person's environment and lifestyle. The world a person lives and functions within can play a major role in mental health.
A person with bipolar disorder may be unaware they're in the manic phase. After the episode is over, they may be shocked at their behaviour. But at the time, they may believe other people are being negative or unhelpful. Some people with bipolar disorder have more frequent and severe episodes than others.
Protective factors include good coping strategies, good social support networks, effective communication and problem solving skills, etc. It is when the risk factors outweigh the protective factors, that the chances of developing the disorder are high.
Approximately 1 in 50 Australians (1.8%) will experience bipolar disorder during their lifetime. There are three types of bipolar disorder (Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder and Cyclothymic Disorder). All three types involve strong changes in mood, energy, and activity levels.
Bipolar Disorder by Demographic
Bipolar affects men and women roughly equally, but those between the ages of 18 and 34 are most heavily affected at around 4.7% of the population. This drops off by age 60, at which point less than 1% of the population demonstrated diagnosable signs.
The life expectancy for someone with bipolar disorder is approximately 67 years old. A 2021 study researched the effect of bipolar disorder on longevity and found that: risk of death is 2.6 times greater than the general population. the average life span is between 8–12 years shorter than the general population.
Arguments With Friends, Family, Or Coworkers
These arguments increase stress which is one of the triggers of bipolar disorder. In fact, A study in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that negative social experiences often trigger suicidal thoughts in those struggling with bipolar disorder triggers.
Bipolar disorder can cause your mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. Manic symptoms can include increased energy, excitement, impulsive behaviour, and agitation. Depressive symptoms can include lack of energy, feeling worthless, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.
Answer questions honestly. But don't argue or debate with a person during a manic episode. Avoid intense conversation. Don't take comments or behavior personally.
Aside from genetics, a common cause of bipolar disorder is indeed a chemical imbalance, specifically malfunctioning in neurotransmission. It is important to note that the chemical imbalance caused by malfunctioning neurotransmitters can be hereditary.
Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it's diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s. Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms may vary over time.
Bipolar disorder can be confused with other conditions, such as depression, schizophrenia, BPD, anxiety, and ADHD. Detecting and diagnosing bipolar disorder may take some time. But getting a correct, early diagnosis often results in better outcomes.
Background. Child maltreatment has been shown to be associated with a wide range of mental disorders, including bipolar disorders. In this 2-year follow-up study, recollections of emotional, physical and sexual abuse were related to bipolar symptoms, namely depressive, hypomanic and manic symptoms.
Absolutely. In fact, bipolar disorder is considered to be one of the few mental health conditions that is highly likely to cause a significant and long-term psychosocial disability.
First-line treatments for bipolar depressive episodes include lithium or lamotrigine monotherapy. For more severe cases, can add second mood stabilizer (e.g., lamotrigine combined with lithium or divalproex). Atypical antipsychotics can be added for patients with psychotic features (e.g., delusions, hallucinations).