Candice Buchmiller
05/01/13
Research Paper
Psychology 1010
Wednesday 5:15-7:45
Bipolar Disorder

Many people in America today have bipolar disorder and are not aware of it. Bipolar disorder is a serious disorder and can be very harmful. In the 1930’s scientists discovered that applying a small amount of electrical current to the brain caused seizures and changed brain chemistry. This was known as Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). Although this was abused in the past it remains a very effective treatment for some people.
Treatment for bipolar disorder includes four elements; talk therapy, medication, peer support, and a personal wellness plan. But sometimes these standard methods don’t work and aren’t as helpful as they should be. As a result, researchers and psychologists are trying new technologies, searching for more effective treatments. Bipolar disorder is caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals called neuro-transmitters. Other chemicals related to mood disorders are serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Medications used to treat mood disorders work on restoring the balance of chemicals in the brain. Another treatment that has been used on bipolar patients is known as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). During this treatment a special electromagnetic pad is placed on the scalp, through these pads, magnetic field pulses are transmitted to the brain at the location of the patches. These magnetic field pulses are sent to the parts of the brain that help regulate mood. The magnetic field pulses create a small electrical current inside the brain leading to changes in the chemicals that effect mood.
Bipolar disorder has components that leads us to believe it is linked with genes and hereditary. If your mom or dad has it you have a higher chance of having it. At times a person who has bipolar disorder may feel very happy, full of energy and able to do anything. The person does not feel the need to rest when feeling like this, its called mania or being manic. At other times, the a person may feel very sad and depressed, not wanting to move or do anything. People with bipolar disorder can quickly go from mania to depression and back, creating rapid highs and lows . People who have this disorder have swift and sharp mood swings. Throughout the day they can experience a full range of moods such as sadness, happiness, anger as well as many other moods in a small twenty-four hour span. There are several different kinds of bipolar disorder. To determine which kind of bipolar disorder a person has depends on how quickly they move from manic episodes to depression and back again, as well as how severe your symptoms are and the stages of highs and lows.
Some symptoms to look for are feeling sad, empty and tearful, loss of interest or pleasure in activities that use to be enjoyable, difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, significant weight loss or weight gain, agitation, reduction in physical movement, fatigue or loss of energy, feeling worthless or inappropriate guilt, poor concentration or having difficulty making decisions, having suicide thoughts, and many more symptoms. All of which sound like symptoms of depression, to determine true bipolar disorder, from depression one must show also very rapid high levels of mania. Swift changes in mood from sad to intense happiness and positivity then dropping down again into negative darkness.
Over the years different researchers and psychologists have tried to find a cure for bipolar disorder and different treatment methods to help with the disorder. They have gone from putting electric shock through brains to handing out a pill. The technology over the years has changed drastically and it is very advanced today and very helpful. Sadly there is no cure that takes it away completely, but there are medication that is very helpful. Also in recent articles there have been several links between emotional abuse and bipolar disorder. While there are clear marks and evidence of