The Science & Treatment of Bipolar Disorder | Episode 82
Main Takeaways
- Bipolar disorder, also known as bipolar depression, affects around 1% of the population.
- People with bipolar disorder have a 20-30% greater risk of suicide.
- Psychiatrists face difficulty in diagnosing bipolar disorder because symptoms may vary.
- Bipolar I is characterized by an extended period of mania, whereas Bipolar II is characterized by swings of hypomania and depressive episodes.
- Bipolar disorder can present differently from person to person and can take many forms.
- People with bipolar disorder tend to spend immense amounts of money they don’t have during manic episodes, contributing to severe financial stress.
- Individuals with bipolar disorder experience atrophy or removal of connections over time, causing problems with interoception.
- Bipolar disorder is one of the top 10 disabilities leading to a global burden of disability.
- Heritability of bipolar disorder is high, with an 85% chance of inheritance among the general population.
- Treatments for bipolar disorder include lithium and ketamine, but lithium can be highly toxic, and regular bloodwork is necessary.
