Manic Depression:
Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options

Learn more about manic depression,
its root causes, symptoms and treatment options.

Manic depression is defined as "a mood disorder, characterized by swings in a person's mood from high to low – euphoric to depressed".

This means that the person suffering from manic depression moods changes from sad to happy and back again.

This switch happens rapidly in some persons and slowly in others.

Bipolar affective disorder is another name for manic depression.

An episode of manic depression normally follows three or more depressive episodes.

Signs of manic depression include:

• Unnatural pessimism
• Exhibiting poor judgment
• Dreaming up 'big' plans that are unattainable
• Speech may become rapid
• May begin speaking louder than is normal
• Reduce energy level
• Poor sleeping pattern
• Becoming suicidal

The cause of manic depression is not really known, but there is evidence of some genetic predisposition. The first episode of bipolar depression normally occurs when the individual is in their twenties. However, some persons reported having their first episode in their teens, although it is not unusual for children to be affected as well.

Some persons will exhibit most of the symptoms of manic depression while others will show just a few. Once five or more symptoms of manic depression are observed, it's important to take action. Stress is a contributing factor in depression as well. To learn more about stress, read "Conquering Stress," by C.J. Green.

Treatment of manic depression is similar to treatment for other forms of depression.

One proven medicine for manic depression is the mood stabilizing drug, lithium carbonate.

Depression medication is primarily used to ease the symptoms of manic depression. Antidepressants and counseling are also used to treat manic depression. Alternative treatment such as acupuncture has been used with some success in treating depression.

Back from Manic Depression
to Depression Help Treatment

Dealing with Depression Advice

Avoid negative thinking

C.J. Green's book "Conquering Stress" discusses how we can only have one thought at once, even though for the most part they come in rapid succession.

Since we can only hold on thought at once, we need to practice allowing those thoughts to be positive.

Worry and despair are like sugared candy to depression, it feeds off of it.

Learning how to think positively in unhappy situations will become automatic eventually, but it does take practice.

Eventually, you will be seeing the gift in everything instead of the dark clouds of depression. This is also the basic difference between being a happy person or a cynical one.