The Statistics Say

When faced with the question, "What is bipolar disorder," What exactly do you answer? It's a confusing condition for many people, especially when you are suffering from it. It was originally labeled as manic depression, but, now it is known as a mood disorder that causes major shifts in a person's mood, energy, and their ability to carry out everyday tasks. These mood episodes can last from days to weeks. The depressive episodes leaves the person with low energy and motivation and the manic episodes are the opposite, leaving the person feeling energetic, optimistic, and euphoric, this can lead them to making irrational, impulsive decisions. But, it is also important to understand that the intensity of symptoms is varying from person to person.

There are three primary types of, Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymic disorder.

FBipolar I- This type is episodes of mania that tend to last at least seven days and may end up requiring hospitalization, the depressive episodes that follow this can last up to two weeks. And these symptoms may end up happening simultaneously, this is called a mixed episode.

Bipolar II- This type is a pattern of depressive and hypomanic episodes. Hypomania is described as a mood elevation that increases a person's energy, agitation, and pressured speech. The mania isn't as intense as bipolar I, but the depressive episodes are severe and can last longer.

Cyclothymic Disorder- This type has more frequent shifts between mood swings, this is called rapid cycling. The highs are consistent with hypomania symptoms while the lows are mild to moderate depression.

Being someone with bipolar, the manic stage can be exhausting for those around you, having those episodes of endless energy, setting so many goals for yourself, and having ideas about yourself that aren't even humanly possible to achieve. Then, following that period, you fall into a depressive state, your mood is the opposite of what you had just experienced days prior. You don't want to do anything, you disengage from those around you and you're practically lifeless, sometimes causing people to withdraw from you as a result.

Now, to the statistics.

Bipolar disorder is found in about 5.7 million adults in America, this is about 2.6% of the U.S population. The median age of onset for the disorder is 25 years old, but, it can start in a person's early childhood stages or later in their life around their 40's and 50's. An equal number of men and women develop it, and it is found in all ages, races, ethnic groups and social classes. And more than two-thirds of people who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder have at least one close relative who also suffers from the disorder. This indicates that it is heritable.

Women are more likely to experience rapid cycling. It has also been found through research that women with bipolar may have more depressive episodes or mixed episodes than men do.

Bipolar disorder results in a reduction of 9.2 years on a person's life span, and one in five patients with the disorder will commit suicide.

A child is more likely to suffer from bipolar if their parents suffer from the disorder themselves. If one of their parents has the disorder, they have a 15 to 30% risk. But, if both parents have the disorder, this risk rises to 50 to 75%. 20% of teenagers with major depression develop bipolar disorder within 5 years of the onset of their depression. One-third of the 3.4 million children and teens with depression in the U.S may be actually suffering from early onset bipolar disorder. When a child or teen is manic, in contrast to adult sufferers, they are much more likely to be irritable and are prone to destructive outbursts versus being elated or euphoric. And when depressed, there may be physical complaints, ranging form headaches and stomachaches or tiredness, leading to poor performance in school, irritability, social isolation and extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure.

Treating bipolar disorder with lithium was once believed to have a 70 to 85% success rate, but, lithium response rates of only 40 to 50% are now seen. People with the disorder can end up facing 10 years of just coping with their symptoms before they get an accurate diagnosis, and only one in four people receive an accurate diagnosis in less than three years. Women are more likely to be those who get misdiagnosed with depression, while men are more likely to get misdiagnosed with schizophrenia.