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Nurse Diane
Earlier this week we talked about Mental Illness
Awareness week, included in that article was a mention of Bipolar
Disorder. 2.3 million people suffer from
Bipolar Disorder. This is a condition
that usually begins in the mid 40's through the 50's or it can start earlier,
but it requires lifelong treatment. A
person with this illness goes through periods of mania then depression. Episodes like extreme shopping to deep
depression are characteristics.
A recent episode of Bipolar was notice with the public
displays of Charlie Sheen. He was
partying and doing drugs and acting abnormal for a while, then sunk into a
depression stage, and nobody heard from him.
The same bizarre behavior was also noticed in Brittany Spears. If Bipolar is left untreated, the risk of
suicide is great. In fact, 25 to 50% of
those suffering attempt suicide.
You don't have to be in the public eye to suffer from
this disorder. You may know someone who
shares these same symptoms. The purpose
of Bipolar Awareness Day is to:
- Learn more about the symptoms of bipolar disorder and mental illness and understand its impact on society;
- Participate in a free mental health screening held in many local communities; and
- Reach out people with bipolar disorder to seek treatment.
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This day was created in 1990 by Abbott Laboratories to
increase awareness of bipolar disorder, promote early detection and accurate
diagnosis, reduce stigma, and minimize the devastating impact on those who
suffer from bipolar illness.
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Below is a quiz from psychcentral.com for you to take to
see if you know anyone with these symptoms, or if you have them yourself. If you do, please seek help and encourage
those you may know to seek help as well.
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