“It’s a disease that both kills and gives life. Fire, by its very nature, both creates and destroys. Mania is a strange and driving force—a destroyer—a fire in the blood.” — Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison

Did you know tomorrow is World Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day? It's celebrated every year on March 30th in honor of one of the most influential

artists in history, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh.

Previously referred to as manic-depression, bipolar disorder affects roughly 3% of people in the United States annually and is characterized by prolonged periods of marked "highs" (mania or hypomania) followed by depressive "lows" (depression) and periods of symptom remission between cycles.

While stress can trigger an episode of mania or depression, it cannot cause the disorder. Instead, underlying genetics are considered a critical component of the condition.

Check out the video below to learn more:

The presence of mania or hypomania distinguishes bipolar disorder from unipolar depression.

Manic Episode

“Restless, fiery, aggressive, visionary, and impatient with the status quo.” — Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison

A manic episode is a period of at least one week when someone is exceptionally high-spirited or irritable most of the day for most days, possesses more energy than usual, and experiences at least three of the following changes in behavior:

Some people experiencing manic episodes also experience disorganized thinking, false beliefs, and/or hallucinations, known as psychotic features.

Hypomania

A hypomanic episode is characterized by less severe manic symptoms that need last only four days in a row rather than a week. As a result, it doesn't lead to the significant problems in daily functioning that mania commonly causes.

Hypomania is often associated with increased productivity and other positive characteristics. But left untreated, it can result in full-blown mania, which may become dangerous and require hospitalization or be followed by long bouts of depression.

Major Depressive Episode

"Passive, sensitive, dependent, and with limited aspirations." — Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison

A major depressive episode is a period of at least two weeks in which a person has at least five of the following symptoms, including at least one of the first two listed:

People with bipolar disorder experience a range of symptoms, resulting in different variations of the disease, with the most common diagnoses being

bipolar type one and two.

Bipolar 1: Characterized by extreme highs alongside lows (full-blown mania that may require hospitalization).

Bipolar 2: Involves briefer, less extreme periods of elation (hypomania) interspersed with long periods of depression.

Treatment Outcomes

With medication, bipolar disorder is treatable but not cured.

Therapy centered around education

on identifying mood episode triggers, and lifestyle adjustments, such as regular exercise, can help those with the illness navigate symptoms. However, neither are a substitute for medication.

Many with bipolar disorder thrive—not despite it, but because of it— “contributing a great deal of energy, fire, enthusiasm, and imagination to the people and world around them.”

Did you find this article helpful? Click the button below for more resources, and navigate to our website's Clinical Services tab to learn about mental health support available to Montana kids and families through Youth Dynamics.

On March 6th, we celebrated new beginnings with the groundbreaking or "house-raising" of a new Therapeutic Youth Home on our Boulder campus, a significant milestone of our Reigniting Hope capital campaign made possible by our generous supporters. 

Click the button below to check out an article from KTVH covering the event featuring Jordan Evertz, our Clinical Director of Residential Services, and Kyle Treadway, a soon-to-be Boulder Youth Home graduate.

Learn more about the impact of comprehensive, wraparound support services on Montana kids and families by clicking the button below.