Bipolar Disorder In Women

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While bipolar disorder affects both men and women, how the disorder is experienced and treated in both genders varies greatly. Women, for example, tend to experience more of the “rapid cycling” type of bipolar disorder. Why is it that rapid cycling occurs more often in women? What other issues do women have to face with regards to having bipolar disorder? What should be the course of action for women (with bipolar disorder) who are contemplating pregnancy? Types of Bipolar Disorder There are several types of bipolar disorder. The main types include bipolar type I disorder, bipolar type II disorder, and cyclothymic disorder. Bipolar type I disorder is the “classic” form, and patients often experience at least one full or mixed episodes…show more content…
As mentioned above, treatment with anti-depressants may precipitate a switch to mania, but may also increase cycle frequency (Leibenluft, 1997). There needs to be more studies done in this area to confirm and treat these problems. However, the most helpful of all treatments is document daily what the moods are upon taking the appropriate drugs (anti-depressant/ antimanic). This will aid in the search for a better cure or prevention for both the short- and long-term treatment. It is probably best to minimize the use of anti-depressants and to maximize the use of mood-stabilizing agents. Mood-stabilizing agents are used to treat manic, hypomanic and mixed episodes and are used to prevent more mood episodes. This is not the absolute way, remember, because the use of mood-stabilizing agents is used primarily to treat mania. As with the problem of taking primarily anti-depressants, rapid cycling bipolar patients who use mainly mood-stabilizing agents will have severe depressive episodes. There is a trade-off between the use of either mood-stabilizing agents or anti-depressant drugs. Both decreases one problem while enhancing another. The absolute cure is still…show more content…
Relatively little study has been done regarding the risks of bipolar disorder in the period during pregnancy. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish bipolar symptoms from regular pregnancy symptoms. Pregnant women often do suffer from depression, depending on their environment and stresses. Nonetheless, it is unclear as to whether or not pregnancy increases or decreases bipolar symptoms. Some studies suggest that pregnancy may lessen symptoms: “In one study, 800f patients with affective illness (predominantly bipolar) experienced an improvement or a diminution of symptoms of their mood disorder during pregnancy” (Altshuler et al. 1998). At the same time, these studies are contradicted by other studies. For instance, in a study involving women with bipolar type I disorder, “…women reported manic mood changes, in each case occurring during pregnancy” (Blehar et al., 1998). Manic episodes and cycling seemed to occur exclusively during

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