What exactly is bipolar anyway? It's a mood disorder, a chemical imbalance in the brain. Often times a severe mental illness. You go from one extreme to the other. Being happy and then being sad. You never know when this might happen, it just happens.

If you are lucky, the medication prescribed to you will work, most times you cycle through a menagerie of medications to get the right one or two or three. However many your doctor thinks you need to stay stable. Then there is the miserable side effects that have to be endured so you can find out which medication will work for you.

There are times you are so depressed all you can think about is suicide. You don't get out of bed for days, or weeks depending how severe the depression is. You pay absolutely no detail to hygeine. You lock the door and lay in bed knowing the world has come to an end. Absolutely nothing matters because your brain tells you life isn't worth living, and you are convinced death is the only way out.

The next change in mood is the manic phase. You think your the President Of The United States. You are untouchable. You can fly if you so desire. You have a unrelenting sex drive, the need to jump on a flight to another country for no other reason than you just have to try it. Your mind races so fast you can't keep up. The thoughts keep coming until they turn into voices you can't understand. You want to spend money, shop for things you know you don't need.

Anyone can be affected by bipolar. It is a serious mental illness that affects approximently 1% of the world population according to The World Health Orginization.

There are treatments for bipolar disorder, mood stablizing medications, psychotherapy and as a last resort there is electroconvulsive therapy. But the most popular is mood stablizing medications such as Lithium, Seroquel, Lamictal, Abilify, Depakote, and Tegretol to name a few.

Bipolar disorder also brings along a stigma that paralyzes some of those diagnosed to seek treatment because they are afraid of what others might say or do. There is the fear of losing a job because of preconcieved ideas of what bipolar means. It is a mental illness that can be treated with mediaction. It is possible to lead a normal with bipolar if the you are treated and follow a personal treatment plan.

Of course along with stigma goes the mistakes and wrong-doing the bipolar person has done. Including trouble with the law, unable to keep healthy relationships,holding down a job, thus creating shame and more stigma. Bipolar Disorder is nothing to be ashamed of, because there are treatments and support groups to strive for stabilization.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/disorders_bipolar.shtml

If you or someone you know is suffering from bipolar or any other mental illness seek treatment as soon as possible.