Enter the world of "bipolar disorder" and heal your "mental cold"

Enter the world of "bipolar disorder" and heal your "mental cold"

Van Gogh, a name that everyone is familiar with, is sometimes colorful and passionate, and sometimes dark and depressing. These two extremes create the loneliness and brilliance of Vincent Van Gogh. He seems to be extremely talented and loving, but also selfish and violent... What made Van Gogh so crazy? In the complex psychological world of human beings, there is a mysterious and confusing mental disorder - bipolar disorder, which is like an emotional storm that makes patients wander painfully between the two extremes.

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What is bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder (BD) is a common mental illness. Patients often experience alternating mania and depression, which seriously affects their normal social and daily life. During a manic episode, patients seem to be injected with endless energy. They are in high spirits, extremely excited, and may feel that they can do anything. In this state, the patient's activity level increases significantly. They may be constantly busy, participating in various activities, and even tireless. Thinking also becomes unusually agile, speaking faster, and changing topics frequently, as if the thoughts in the brain are flying at the speed of light. However, this seemingly energetic state is often accompanied by impulsive and risky behavior, which may bring serious consequences to patients. When depression strikes, the world suddenly becomes gray and dull. Patients fall into deep sadness and despair and lose interest and hope in life. They become less active, lazy, weak, and even have difficulty getting up. Thinking is slow, memory is impaired, and self-worth is extremely low. They often feel that they are a loser and useless. Sleep and appetite are also seriously affected, and insomnia or excessive sleeping, loss of appetite, or overeating may occur. They float in and out of "heaven" and "hell".

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What causes bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder is the result of a combination of genetic, neurobiological, and psychosocial factors. A large number of studies have shown that if there is a family member with bipolar disorder, the risk of other relatives developing the disease is significantly increased. For example, if a parent has bipolar disorder, their children may be several times more likely to develop the disease than the general population. However, the specific mechanism is not yet fully understood. Neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, play a key role in mood regulation. People with bipolar disorder often have an imbalance of these neurotransmitters. For example, during a manic episode, the level of excitatory neurotransmitters such as dopamine may increase; while during a depressive episode, the level of inhibitory neurotransmitters such as serotonin may decrease. Dysfunction of neuroendocrine systems such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT axis) are also associated with the occurrence of bipolar disorder. For example, long-term stress may cause the HPA axis to overactivate, secrete too much cortisol, and then affect mood and behavior. Neuroimaging studies have found that the brains of patients with bipolar disorder may have some structural and functional abnormalities. For example, the volume of certain brain regions is reduced, and the connections between brain regions are abnormal. These changes may affect the brain's ability to regulate and process emotions. Major life events, such as the death of a loved one, unemployment, divorce, etc.; adverse growth environments in childhood, such as abuse, neglect, and long-term family conflicts; certain personality traits, such as emotional instability, impulsivity, and perfectionism, are more likely to lead to bipolar disorder.

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What are the effects of bipolar disorder? In addition to the above-mentioned effects on the individual patient, the relationship between the patient and relatives, friends, and colleagues may be seriously damaged due to emotional instability and impulsive behavior. This condition will not only make the patient become withdrawn, irritable, or alienated from others, resulting in a shrinking social circle and an increased sense of isolation, but will also in turn affect the emotions and living conditions of people around them, and amplify the impact of negative emotions. At the same time, the treatment of bipolar disorder usually requires long-term medication and psychotherapy, which will bring a heavy financial burden to patients and their families. When patients with bipolar disorder fall into extremes, there is even a certain possibility that they will do things that endanger social security and violate the legitimate rights and interests of others.

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How to effectively prevent and treat bipolar disorder? Although the hazards and effects of bipolar disorder seem horrifying, in fact, bipolar disorder can be prevented and treated. The onset of bipolar disorder is closely related to the levels of neurotransmitters and hormones. We can start from this aspect and do a good job of bipolar prevention and treatment. First of all, we need to establish a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet. High-fiber foods and a balanced diet can help reduce stress and anxiety and reduce the risk of disease. In addition, it is recommended to consume more foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and seeds, and ensure daily vitamin D supplementation. Regular exercise is also one of the important measures to prevent bipolar disorder. Scientific evidence has confirmed that proper exercise can release endogenous neurotransmitters, improve brain function, and reduce the risk of bipolar disorder. It is recommended to perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity interval training per week. Of course, adequate sleep is also one of the important ways to prevent bipolar disorder. During sleep, the human mind can be well relaxed. During sleep, the body will secrete hormones such as serotonin that affect human emotions. Adequate sleep will also make people energetic and increase their ability to resist stress. Therefore, ensuring adequate sleep helps stabilize emotions and effectively reduce the occurrence of bipolar disorder. Adults should ensure 7-9 hours of high-quality sleep every night. Similarly, you can relax your body and mind through meditation, deep breathing, etc., get in touch with nature appropriately, integrate into society, feel nature, breathe fresh air, or seek help from a psychologist. Reducing the stress of daily life can reduce the risk of mood swings. When depression and anxiety occur, you should pay more attention to eating a light diet, quit smoking and drinking in time, and try to eat less irritating foods, such as peppers, raw garlic, onions, etc. Maintaining a quiet living environment and avoiding excessive noise around you can help ensure a stable mental state. You can also divert your attention by doing things you are interested in, share your worries with your family or friends, and it is also a good idea to go to the hospital for psychological treatment when necessary.

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Today, as bipolar disorder is gradually being recognized and taken seriously by people, there are still many shortcomings in our understanding of this disease. However, we must realize that the treatment and prevention of bipolar disorder is not just the patient's business. As family members, friends, doctors, and human beings living in the same society, we should give patients enough understanding and correct knowledge, and support everyone with a kind, rational, comprehensive and objective attitude.