The Prevalence, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

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Introduction
Mental illnesses affect the ability of people to think, feel, and relate to other people in the society. One of the major mental health illnesses is bipolar disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme changes in mood and energy levels. As such, a person experiences emotional highs and lows. When one is depressed, one feels hopeless and sad, and this is accompanied by the loss of interest in many activities (Mayo Clinic). The extreme shifts in mood swings can affect energy level, judgment, behavior, activity, sleep, as well as the ability to think clearly (Mayo Clinic). While bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, following a treatment plan can help one manage the extreme mood swings and other related symptoms. This paper examines the prevalence, symptoms, causes, and treatment of bipolar disorder.
Prevalence
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bipolar disorder has a lifetime prevalence of about 4%. However, for 12-month prevalence, it is 2.6% of the adult population in the US (NIH). This is a significant percentage of the population that suffers from just one mental disorder. Women are more affected by Bipolar disorder than men with the ratio of prevalence being 3:2 (CDC). Also, the CDC notes that 25 years is the median age for the onset of the condition. The onset is earlier for men than for women (CDC). In regards to the members of the population who are insured, of the 7.5% claimants with behavioral health coverage, 3% had bipolar disorder (CDC). Another significant feature of people with the condition is that they incurred $568 annually in out-of-pocket costs (CDC). It is also important to note that people with bipolar disorder incur higher insurance payments compared to others that have behavioral health care diagnoses (CDC). Therefore, it is deducible that bipolar diagnosis is extremely expensive. In fact, the CDC notes that it costs more than two times as much as depression. The high costs are as majorly as a result of indirect costs such as productivity loss that come in the form of presenteeism and absenteeism (CDC). According to the NIH, while the 12-month prevalence of the condition stands at 2.6% for the US adult population, about 82.9% of the cases are severe. It is evident that bipolar disorder is a serious mental condition that affects a significant portion of the population. In addition, its diagnosis and treatment are costly compared to other mental conditions. Also, there have been increased rates of diagnoses of the condition in children, adolescents, and adults (Blader and Carlson 107).
Symptoms
The depressive symptoms related to bipolar disorder include blue moods and the feeling that things will not get better (Bauer, Kilbourne and Greenwald 7). Most of the time, people lose pleasure in activities they normally do. They become unrealistically hopeless, pessimistic, and guilty (Bauer, Kilbourne and Greenwald 7). The authors also note one even considers ending his or her life (7). Other depressive symptoms of the condition include physical changes such as loss of appetite or eating too much and the inability to sleep.
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