Recently, the actress Catherine Zeta-Jones was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after dealing with the stress of her husband’s battle with cancer.

What is bipolar disorder?

It is a type of mental illness characterised by mood swings between elation (mania) and depression.

The condition is divided into different sub-categories such as:

- Bipolar I disorder: Mood swings with manic incidents that can be severe and dangerous. Relationships with external environment become very difficult.

- Bipolar II disorder: the symptoms are less severe than bipolar I. There are no manic episodes but rather hypomanic meaning euphoric mood and irritability. Individuals in this case have a decreased need for sleep.

- Cyclothymia: The state characterised by extreme swings of mood between depression and manic.

In bipolar disorder, the experiences and behaviours are often not fully understood by individuals or not even recognized by mental health professionals. Therefore, diagnosis may sometimes be delayed for many years.

What are the signs & symptoms?

- Agitation or irritation
- Increased physical activity
- Rapid speech
- Lack of concentration
- Unrealistic perception of “things” to achieve.
- Delusions
- Careless and excessive behaviours.
- Poor judgment
- Anxiety
- Recurrent sadness

What are the treatments?

Depending of the level of mental illness, there is a range of treatments to help patients accordingly.

- Counselling: It’s characterised as a ‘talking cure’. Counsellors listen to their clients and encourage them to explore feelings. The therapist helps patients to find personal and practical solutions to their problems.

- Psychotherapy: uses a range of techniques that helps to increase awareness, self-observation, cognition, and behaviour change which help to improve mental health

- Psychology: the range of psychology assessment includes memory, intelligence, personality, perception and ability for abstract thinking.

- Cognitive behaviour therapy: the therapist mostly psychologist aids people to look at problematic patterns of behaviours and thought in order to change them. This therapy is very effective for depression and eating disorders.

- Social Assessment: in the UK, “approved social workers” have received special training in accordance to the Mental Health Act. It’s the law that authorises compulsory admissions to psychiatric hospitals and compulsory psychiatric treatments.

- Occupational therapy: mental illness can cause practical disabilities such as cooking or care for one self that required help from occupational therapist.

- Psychiatry: People with severe mental illness will be referred to psychiatrists who are specialised in diagnosing and treating the disorder. They have to ensure that patients have full programmes of care set up (incl. drugs, tranquillising, tests, follow ups, etc.) in order to cope with the daily life.

If you suffer from any symptoms of depression or mania, talk to your doctor or a mental health practitioner.