What Bipolar Disorder is Really

By Steve Jones

While most people with bipolar disorder and their loved ones are told that bipolar disorder is either a chemical imbalance of the brain and/or a mood disorder that can be characterized by extreme mood swings, it is really so much more than that.

In truth, bipolar disorder is actually quite historical. It has roots that go as far back as the second century AD, when a man named Aretaeus first discovered that manic and depressive symptoms may be linked.

The disorder is not just mental, since it has to do with your mind, but is physiological as well, because it has to do with your body.

Since part of it is associated with your brain, bipolar disorder can also be considered a neurological problem; however, it is usually termed merely "physical," and referred to simply as a "chemical imbalance of the brain."

Believing that bipolar disorder has biological roots, scientists are currently studying genes they think may cause the disorder. If they find the specific gene or genes that are linked to the disorder, they will be steps away from a cure. Of course, there is great debate in the scientific community about the validity of this research, and there is quite a long way to go before a cure can be found.

You may find that your doctor will tell you that your bipolar disorder has a medical element, as well. There is a greater risk of physical symptoms (body aches, headaches, backaches, stomach aches, etc.) when you are in a bipolar depressive episode than when you are not.

Also don't be surprised if your psychiatrist stresses that bipolar disorder is a psychiatric illness. He or she probably used the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) to come to that diagnosis to begin with.

As many studies have shown, bipolar disorder is hereditary and may be passed down through families.

As anyone with the disorder will tell you, bipolar disorder is definitely an emotional disorder. Your moods can swing from depression to mania and back again, without you having any control over them. In addition, emotional "side effects" of the disorder can include stress, anxiety, and insomnia.

There is also a personal element to bipolar disorder. Because of the stigma still evident in our society against mental illness of any kind, many people with the disorder will keep their disorder to themselves and won't tell others that they even have it. They feel like it is a personal thing.

Bipolar disorder is not just a chemical imbalance or simply a mood disorder. It is, in turn, both of these things and more. - 30309

About the Author:

David Oliver has the #1 website for bipolar information, symptoms, causes, medications and treatments.

Getting Rid Of And Avoiding Panic Attacks

By Phil Clayston

Panic attacks cause a lot of distress to a person. Good news is, there are natural ways to deal with the unpleasant effects of panic attacks. A timely support can go handy in neutralizing its outcome. These techniques can enable you to regain normalcy in your everyday life, as you enjoy life free of worry and fear.

Anxiety attacks happen because of the excessive secretion of adrenaline in the body. With this, we are given the idea how to cure it. When a person is confronted with danger, the automatic response of the body to preserve life is to secrete adrenaline.

But this can become abnormal in a person when the body feels threatened by a lot of different matters, which usually would not affect a normal person. This malady of panic attacks has gained graphic proportions where up to four million citizens in America are under its sway, and yet people do not take it seriously.

Given the figure above, we can say that many people are in need of support to get their life back to normal. It is fortunate that there are also many solutions for this problem. Following the procedure will result in absolute healing, as there are many ways to deal with this problem.

These are tested techniques of treatment and you should be able to follow them consistently. The first step is acceptance of the fact, that the panic attacks come on because of a condition and this will prompt your mind to take the necessary steps to eradicate it.

There is a need to acknowledge that these panics are not normal, for to you get the necessary help in combating this disorder. In the process of controlling panic attacks, you will be able to identify the major causes of your anxieties.

The extent of your disorder is directly related to the cause, which brings on the attack. Is the degree of your worrying justified to the actual situation?

Usually people with panic disorders have a tendency to worry over petty things which actually should not be even a concern. Once you put in the effort to unravel the reason behind your attack, the solution will be in front of you and you can start living a normal life. - 30309

About the Author:

Now, find the best way on how to cure panic attacks for good. There are many resources out there, but you should look into natural ways before taking prescription medications. Finding how to Get rid of panic attacks should be your only priority, nobody should live their life with this illness.

Say Bye To Depression, Live A Stress Free Life

By Tina Davies

Want to beat the winter blues? Want to eliminate stress? See & experience life yourself with a new & beautiful dimension to it.

Clinical depression goes by many names -depression, "the blues," biological depression, major depression. But it all refers to the same thing: feeling sad and depressed for weeks or months at a time, accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, lack of energy, and taking little or no pleasure in things that gave you joy in the past.

Clinical depression is an awful disease. Depression turns its victims into shells of their former selves; depression patients are stripped of all the hope and joy and emotional vitality that make life worth living in the first place. The good news, though, is that depression treatment really does work, and that the right depression treatment center really can help you rediscover the world as you used to know it.

Yes, depression treatment centers are places of hope, and of healingbut they're also places of effort and of struggle, places where depression treatment patients get better only by virtue of the commitment they bring to the depression treatment process. There's no gentle way out of the depression wilderness. If you want to get better, you're going to have to work for it.

Depression matters, simply put, because depression victims matter. More to the point, depression treatment matters because depression treatment programs give depression treatment patients cause for hope, and for faith; depression treatment matters because it works, and because it saves lives. In the fight against depression, you'll never have a greater ally than a depression treatment center you can trust.

If you've made it this far, you don't have to be told how debilitating depression can be. What matters, now, is that you're ready to take the first step: that you're ready to enroll in a depression treatment program, and let depression treatment professionals help you get better. Please, for your own sake, make today the day you decide to start fixing tomorrow.

The right depression treatment center makes a world of difference in the depression treatment process. If you're going to get healed, you need depression treatment that meets your individual needs, and serves your individual interests; you need depression treatment that addresses you as you actually are, without resorting to generalities or supposedly "universal" treatment solutions. If you're going to win the fight against clinical depression, you might say, you're going to have to win it on your own terms, get started today. - 30309

About the Author:

Don't miss out the inpatient drug rehab centers. Treat your near & dear ones with drug addiction treatment program.

Learn the 17 Essential Places Every Home Must Have to Declutter Fast

By Zach Angelo

Does this situation every happen in your home? You get a gift, make a purchase or receive something in the mail, and you can't decide where to put it. I used to always just set stuff on the counter until I'd decide where to put it. Problem was though, I'd never get around to finding a spot for it and my counter top would soon be covered with clutter. This makes trying to quickly declutter your home very difficult, because you have no defined spot to put things when you clear off your counter. Knowing exactly where everything in your home goes is very important to be able to declutter fast whenever you need to.

If you can relate to that type of clutter, read on to learn 8 of the 17 essentials that you must have a set place for to declutter your house. There are 17 categories of objects that most everyone has in their home, but often do not have a set place for. It is very important to have a set location for all of these products to be able to declutter fast in your home. And soon you won't ever have to worry about clutter.

The key to the idea of having absolute set locations for each category of items is that you never have to wonder where something goes. You'll always know where the item belongs. You can't underestimate what a huge impact this has on your war to declutter your house. Although you may think I'm blowing smoke, saving your time and energy on this matter really will significantly lesson the stress you feel each day, which is directly affected by house clutter.

You can begin with the first 8 of the 17 critical categories your home must have a place for so you can always declutter fast when things are starting to pile up. Cooking products. All your pet's items, like its hair brush, food, and medical records (in a safe resealable bag). All your home's cotton cloth items, like bedsheets and bathroom towels. Office tools - like notebooks, stamps, envelopes, pens, paperclips and a stapler. Supplies to clean your home. Supplies to do your laundry. Home improvement tools, like a saw, duct tape, a hammer, screwdrivers and a ratchet set. Significant papers - tax records, cards, and bank statements.

If you can find a permanent spot for each of these eight groups of products, you'll be well on your way to keeping your house clutter free. You won't be spending a great deal of time trying to simply figure out where something belongs when you working on declutting fast. Daily life really does get easier when you leave out all the wasted minutes and hours we spend looking for items or trying to find a spot for things. You have just learned one of the most important techniques to being successful at decluttering your house. Now it is time to put it to the test! - 30309

About the Author:

The 17 essential places every house must have is one of the decluttering methods revealed in Mimi Tanner's Declutter Fast ebook. Click a link to get more secrets from Declutter Fast and learn how to declutter your house.

Do You Need Motivation?

By Tim Frazier

Have you ever had a long vacation and just dreaded going back to work? Even if it was a long holiday weekend it can be hard to get yourself motivated back into the cycle of getting things accomplished at work. And in truth it is not just work scenarios that suffer from people having a lack of self motivation. Dieting, exercising and even spending more family time require a degree of motivation. The motivation itself can vary. You want to motivate yourself to watch what you eat because you are tired of seeing the numbers on the weight scale go up. You want to spend more time with your family because you miss the closeness that you once shared. Self motivation takes a lot of discipline but it is not impossible to learn. In this article we will cover what you can do to get yourself motivated and back on track.

Is self motivation good for achieving long term goals?

There is not a long term goal ever created that is not helped along by self motivation. If you have always dreamed of a vacation on a beach and make it your long term goal of the year, you are motivated to save the money for the vacation. You are motivated to take care of work so you can have the time off. Long term goals would never get accomplished if it were not for people being motivated to do them. It is true that some long term goals are set off by a triggering event. But it is the perseverance to reach that long term goal that relies on motivation.

I have trouble completing tasks. How can I get the self motivation I need to get these tasks done in a timely manner?

Everyone has days when they do not feel like doing anything except flicking the remote control button on the television set. But if you are routinely failing to complete tasks this can be very problematic. The first step is seeing and admitting you have a problem following through with things. If you find that your laundry is never finished or your bills are never paid on time, you can learn how to accomplish these smaller tasks. And the more you learn how to accomplish smaller tasks will enable you to succeed at completing larger tasks. The first step is to identify the task at hand. Self motivation starts by you laying out what has to be done, what needs to be done and what you would like to see done. Then break these tasks down into smaller tasks. Tackle them one at a time. Before you know it you have completed the task. Make sure you give yourself a very small time frame to accomplish each of the small tasks. The longer you give yourself the more likely it will be that you put it off.

If self motivation all comes down to each individual person's strengths, or weaknesses, how can it be taught?

Self motivation does come down to your own strengths and weaknesses but by breaking down tasks into a comprehensive list of things that must be accomplished in a given time frame, you can teach yourself how to be motivated. You can set up a reward chart for yourself. Yes, yes....it does seem like something you would do for a child but it really works wonders on adults as well. Let's say that you want to write a novel. You have an idea but just do not seem to have the energy to write it down. As a way to start motivating yourself to write more you should carry a journal with you. Try writing in it for ten solid minutes a day. Then you should progress to twenty minutes each day nonstop. Gradually your novel will take shape. It is all about steps.

I am very self motivated but still find myself not being as successful as I would like to be. What am I doing wrong?

In the past if you wanted to learn self motivation techniques you would have to attend a class or hire a life coach. But today there are plenty of resources in your local bookstore, library or even the internet. You can take classes to help teach you motivational techniques. And if you would like to hear certain celebrity motivational speakers, you can sign up for their courses and classes. There is plenty of information out there. - 30309

About the Author:

Learn more about Motivational Aids. Stop by Tim Frazier's site where you can find out all about SEO Tips and what it can do for you.

Bipolar Disorder: An Overview

By Sean Davids

Bipolar disorder is a type of brain disorder that can make the most ordinary and normal of moods appear very extreme. Sometimes referred to as manic depression or manic-depressive illness, this disorder is characterized by unusual extremes and highs and lows of mood, activity levels, energy and the ability to do regular everyday tasks such as get out of bed and go to work in the morning.

Researchers and the medical community are not completely sure as to what causes bipolar disorder to start in the first place. Most people who develop it come from a family where another member has it so the familial link has been established. But family history or a genetic predisposition towards the disorder are not the only factors that gives rise to it. This is a most definitely baffling disorder to diagnose.

Presently there are 5.7 million adults in the United States who are living with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder affects both males and females and it does not discriminate according to race, ethnic group, geographical location or socioeconomic class. The disorder most often develops when a person is in their late teens to early twenties. In fact, it is theorized that over half of those diagnosed with bipolar disorder develop it before they reach the age of 25. Children can also develop bipolar disorder although it is less common for it to appear at this time in a person's life. However there have been cases where bipolar disorder has been diagnosed in children who are as young as six years of age.

Bipolar disorder is frequently mistaken for depression. Depression can be sneaky in that it can sometimes obscure other elements that point to a bipolar diagnosis. If substance abuse is added to the picture then it can become even murkier and may remain undiagnosed for a lengthy period of time.

A diagnosis for an individual who exhibits the classic symptoms of bipolar disorder, which include cycles of elation and depressive mood swings, is relatively easy to make because it follows a pattern. However not all patients show symptoms that are as clear cut. For example, there are patients who do suffer from bipolar disorder but their symptoms are anything but classic. Mania mood swings can be mild episodes that do not really seem to point to a problem and sometimes can be attributed to circumstances or a person's unique personality. - 30309

About the Author:

Bipolar depression, also known as manic depressive disorder, is a serious form of depression that can't be ignored. Manic depressive psychosis can affect all aspects of a person's life, from their job to their relationships.

The Answer To What You Can DO For Improving Concentration

By Austin Baker

No matter if you are a student in school, a sport player, or just someone on the job who needs to focus more, we all sometimes have problems with concentration. You might be wondering what are the best and simple things people can do for improving concentration. We have looked at quite a few things and have found a few things that you can do yourself.

First of all, there are a few things that you can consume. That is right, you can eat bananas which have been known to help a person with concentration. You can also then drink a glass of wine. You might be thinking what can wine do for me? Well, this has been known to increase concentration.

Yet another thing is you can play games that require your total attention. Sometimes video games help as you have to constantly look at the screen. Some of the old fashioned games that you used to play as a child help as well. You remember the game of Memory? Well that helps you concentrate as you are trying to remember where each one is.

Those days that you spent in meetings or in class doodling are actually good. You might think yeah right, but we are right. Studies have shown those who doodle while listening to someone talk increases their concentration. It keeps you from spacing off and tunes your auditory senses onto what is being said when working on improving concentration.

Last, the thing that you have to remember is that there are many ways to capture your attention. One last method we have is playing video games. Kids will love this but it makes them focus on two things at once. You have to pay attention to the screen as well as what is being said so that you do not miss anything.

There you have it. Some simple things that you can try. They have all been said to help the concentration when your mind seems to wander. So, find what works for you. You will find a method that works for you when improving concentration. - 30309

About the Author:

No matter if you are a student or just someone on the job who needs to focus more, we all have problems with concentration. You might be pondering what are the best and simple things will work for improving concentration. More info to increase concentration now.