Bipolar disorder

Even now, psychological disorders are still often taboo subjects. While depression may have been normalised, people are less used to hearing about many other disorders. Yet many exist in high incidence in the population and deserve to be talked about more. Let’s start with bipolar disorder…

Bipolar disorder is a common psychiatric problem. It is often, though not always, characterised by alternating between stages of exaltation and suddenly feeling low.
Sufferers are euphoric and hyperactive one day, depressed the next. They feel the need to talk constantly and have excessive energy, followed by intense fatigue and depressive thoughts a week later. These stages are interspersed with normothymic periods, i.e. times when the mood stabilises.
This disorder can be a real obstacle to integrate in society, as well as at work, and when creating emotional connections with others. It was even recognised as the 7th cause of disability in 15-44 year olds by the world health organisation (WHO).