Manic Depression
...ssion, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and Bipolar Depression (Manic-depressive Illness). Within these types there are variations in the number of symptoms, their severity and persistence. In the Manic-depressive Illness also known as the Bipolar Depression, it is a mood disorder characterized by mood swings from mania (exaggerated feeling of well-being, lose touch with reality) to depression (overwhelming feelings of sadness, anxiety, low self-worth, which can lead to suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts). Like depression people with this disorder go through stages of depression, but Mania or Manic adds a cycle. Mania is a very “up” mood, over elated, over happy. Too much of anything is usually no good, and because of these cycles, people experiencing Manic Depression visit the extremes of depression and elation. There are three types of cycles that people may go through during mania: Rapid Cycles, Ultra-Rapid Cycles, and Ultradian Cycles. These cycles show many episodes of mania and how often a person experiences these cycles in a year. Rapid Cyclers are most common, and this means 3 or 4 cycles of mania per year. Ultra Rapid cycles mean that the person goes through episodes that are shorter than a week, maybe a bit more often. Ultradian Cyclers go through distinct, dramatic mood changes within a 24 hour period. (National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association) Overall, there are general symptoms that can make detecting and recognizing Manic Depression easier. These symptoms are social withdraw, decline of interest in usual activities such as school, sports, and social functions. Frequent tearfulness and lost of interest in appearance are also indications of depression. People who are depressed usually become disorganized and have negative and pessimistic attitudes about everything. This develops excess anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness. In response to the depressed emotions and excess anxiety, despondent characters turn to drugs and alcohol as means of escape. This excess anxiety can also prompt an individual to commit suicide because they feel as if there is no way out. Various studies have shown that Manic Depression is usually caused by a combination of several factors. Inheritance or genetic predisposition, developmental factors such as early loss of a parent, psychological factors such as intense grief reactions, and stress from coping with environmental factors all cause depression. In case studies, it has been shown that “if one identical twin has depression, there is a 70% chance that the other twin will also develop depression at some time.” (National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association) Children, parents and siblings of a depressed person hold a 15% chance of developing depression. The more distant the relative the less risk there is of developing sym...