What are causes of bipolar disorder? Well, maniac depression or maniac depressive disorder is another familiar name to call bipolar disorder. People with it will experience two contrasting phases that are episodes of mania and episodes of depression. Manic episodes are often referred to higher level of energy, and depression episodes are often associated with sadness emotion with low energy.
You might also like to know more detailed information about bipolar symptoms in women and men, before continuing!
You might also like to know more detailed information about bipolar symptoms in women and men, before continuing!
In other words, maniac depression is a kind of illness or mood disorder in which an individual’s mood alternates between the high level of mania and the low level of depression. Individuals who are have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder usually experience ‘1-2 or more episodes of mania’ along with ‘1-2 or more episodes of depression’ -- or sometimes in mixed episodes (episodes of depression and mania can occur together in rapid sequence).
Before discussing about causes of bipolar disorder, you may also like to know about some conditions that may increase your risk of developing this disorder!
Who is at higher risk?
Bipolar disorder can equally affect any ethnic groups, races, or even socioeconomic levels. And there are about 10 million of people in the U.S who have this disorder.
Maniac depression also equally affects women and men, but rapid cycling (one of bipolar disorder types) is relatively more common in women. In many cases, women with bipolar disorder are more likely to have more episodes of depressive and mixed-state than in men.
Furthermore, many experts believe that a manic episode tends to be the first episode before an episode of depression in men (for their first experience of bipolar disorder). On the other hand, women are more likely to get first experience with a depressive state before a maniac state.
And the typically onset of maniac depression occur around the age of 25 -- but this disorder can occur at any age!
The following are some conditions that may put someone at high risk of developing bipolar disorder:
Can maniac depression run in families?
Some studies found that individuals with maniac depression typically have at least one close family member with the disorder.
Kids who have two parents with the disorder may have about 50-70 percent chance of having the same condition. Then for those who have one parent with the disorder may have about 15-30 percent!
Does the risk of bipolar disorder increase due to environmental stress?
There is no clearly answer, but there are many people with bipolar also have one or more traumatic or stressful events in their lives. Some environmental triggers that can lead to environmental stress may include major life changes (like loss of job (get new job (especially unfriendly job)) and loss of family member), seasonal changes, etc.
Does the risk of maniac depression increase due to certain lifestyle habits?
The symptoms of maniac episodes can occur more easily if the patient has lack of sleep. In some patients, this condition also may be triggered by the single use of antidepressant medication -- talk more with a doctor for more in-depth information about these issues.
Furthermore, about almost 50 percent of patients with bipolar have an alcohol problem or substance abuse! Some bipolar sufferers (particularly for men) are more likely to use certain drugs or alcohol to express or self-medicate during their low & high moods.
What causes bipolar disorder (exact causes)?
Doctors and experts still don’t completely understand about the exact causes of maniac depression. But there is a theory that this disease is partly caused by neurotransmitters --- which are an underlying problem with chemicals in the brain (particularly imbalance of the chemicals in the brain).
There are some important chemicals in the brain that are so vital in both bodily functions and brain functions, that are; norepinephrine (noradrenaline), dopamine, and serotonin.
Serotonin and norepinephrine are believed have consistently link with psychiatric mood problems Furthermore, serotonin is linked to a lot of body functions, like memory, impulsivity, eating, sleep, learning, sexual activity, or wakefulness. Some experts believe that the imbalance levels of serotonin may contribute to certain mood disorders (such as bipolar disorder and depression).
And for the pleasure system of the brain is commonly linked with dopamine. Some experts believe that imbalance dopamine is linked to a severe mental disorder (like schizophrenia and psychosis).
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Reference: WebMD
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