Do you know someone who is sometimes almost manic but at others seems depressed? Do their moods shift from a "high" to a "low"? If you do, then you might know someone who has what has been diagnosed as bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a serious illness that can affect ones relationships, careers and self. People with bipolar disorder swing between manic moods like exhibiting high energy, becoming very talkative, restless or reckless and becoming depressed exhibiting sadness, crying, lack of energy and sometimes sleep problems.

This disorder effects over 2 million people and occurs equally in men and women. Although the onset of bipolar disorder sets in during the early 20s there are often symptoms early in childhood. Some people have found a connection with BPD and ADHD. Because BPD and ADHD symptoms are closely mirrored, BPD is hard to diagnose in young children.

It is equally difficult to diagnose adolescents as this is typically a very unbalanced period in our development overall. It is difficult to discern if the adolescent is portraying normal behaviors or if the mood swings are symptoms of BPD. In adults, there are other problems that will most often occur in conjunction with BPD. About 60% of men and women also have problems with drugs or alcohol, seasonal depression and anxiety disorders. Doctors are not completely sure what causes bipolar disorder. There is evidence however, that it is genetic and runs in families.

There is also growing evidence that lifestyle and stress are contributors to BPD. Overall, medical experts have come to the conclusion that BPD is related to the chemicals produced by the brain. When the productions levels are higher, people feel a sense of mania. When levels are lower, that is when the lows, or depressions, set in.

There are ways to treat BPD. The most popular ways are with mood stabilizing drugs. These, combined with psychotherapy have proven to yield positive results. A few considerations need to be taken into account when taking medication. Children and young adults sometimes have heightened suicidal tendencies while on mood stabilizing drugs. Medications should be used under extreme caution or other measures of control should be put into practice for younger people diagnosed with BPD.

Another thing to consider is that even though one may feel as though they have been "cured", continuous therapy should be used. A medical doctor, teamed with a psychiatrist to prescribe appropriate medications and a psychologist to assess mental health should provide a qualified team to affectively monitor and prevent the illness from worsening. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent BPD, especially since there is so much that needs to be learned about this illness. The best way to prevent or treat BPD is to be familiar with the symptoms.

Symptoms of BPD include:

• -Excessive happiness or hopefulness
• -Restlessness coupled with a need for less sleep -Distractibility
• -Racing thoughts
• -High sex drive -Inflated self-esteem -Tendency to make larger than attainable plans
• -Tendency to make rash or poor decisions such as the decision to quit a job -Sad, anxious or irritability
• -Lack of energy -Increased need for sleep -Insomnia -Change in appetite causing weight loss or gain
• -Thoughts of death or suicide
• -Suicide attempt If you feel that you, or someone you know, may have BPD, then it is important that you note the severity of the symptoms listed above and how long they last.

The most telling symptom of BPD however, is extreme mood swings of extreme highs and lows that do not follow a set pattern. BPD is not an illness that should be self-diagnosed however. If you suspect BPD seek medical attention as soon as possible from a psychiatrist or psychologist.

About the author: To find more information and resources about bipolar disorder visit: http://www.bipolarx.com

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Tip #1 Yoga or Pilates Taking a yoga or pilates class at your local gym will help you get out and about, meet new people, and even tone up your muscles! This is great way to stay active and in shape over the winter so when summer bathing suit season arrives you will be prepared.

Tip #2 Take a Bike Ride A bike ride is fun any time of the year and can be especially enjoyable during the winter because the cool air is refreshing. Just remember to bundle up before heading out on your winter bike ride so you do not get too cold or risk overexposure to the cold weather.

Tip #3 Go for a Walk Going for a walk is always a great way to get yourself in motion. It doesnt matter if it is a slow leisurely walk or a brisk one you will get benefits from walking and being active. Also, walking during the winter will help you burn some of those calories you might be eating more of.

Tip #4 Weekly Meeting with Friends Scheduling a weekly meeting with friends whether at a coffee shop or alternating friends homes is really a great way to stay active in winter and have a lot of fun as well. You will find yourself looking forward to each meeting with your friends.

Tip #5 Plant a Winter Garden If you like to be active in the garden in the spring and summer then there is no reason why you should stop just because the temperature drops. A great idea to keeping active in winter is to plant a winter garden.

There are plenty of things to plant no matter what your region, just do a little research on a winter garden for your region and you can have a really active winter. About the author: http://SearchArticles.Net offers hundreds of tips and articles on fitness, health and wellness. Visit http://www.searcharticles.net/health.cfm for more healthy information.

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With winter coming there will be lots of cold days that simply make people want to stay inside and keep warm. However, all those days spent indoors is generally accompanied by the winter blues. Fortunately, there are a lot of things one can do to liven things up and keep themselves active in the winter even if it is a bit chilly outside. The following five tips will help you have an active winter and finally beat the winter blues.

Tip #1 Yoga or Pilates Taking a yoga or pilates class at your local gym will help you get out and about, meet new people, and even tone up your muscles! This is great way to stay active and in shape over the winter so when summer bathing suit season arrives you will be prepared.

Tip #2 Take a Bike Ride A bike ride is fun any time of the year and can be especially enjoyable during the winter because the cool air is refreshing. Just remember to bundle up before heading out on your winter bike ride so you do not get too cold or risk overexposure to the cold weather.

Tip #3 Go for a Walk Going for a walk is always a great way to get yourself in motion. It doesnt matter if it is a slow leisurely walk or a brisk one you will get benefits from walking and being active. Also, walking during the winter will help you burn some of those calories you might be eating more of.

Tip #4 Weekly Meeting with Friends Scheduling a weekly meeting with friends whether at a coffee shop or alternating friends homes is really a great way to stay active in winter and have a lot of fun as well. You will find yourself looking forward to each meeting with your friends.

Tip #5 Plant a Winter Garden If you like to be active in the garden in the spring and summer then there is no reason why you should stop just because the temperature drops. A great idea to keeping active in winter is to plant a winter garden.

There are plenty of things to plant no matter what your region, just do a little research on a winter garden for your region and you can have a really active winter. About the author: http://SearchArticles.Net offers hundreds of tips and articles on fitness, health and wellness. Visit http://www.searcharticles.net/health.cfm for more healthy information.

Article Source: 5 Tips For Keeping Active In The Winter

Well, if drowsiness were the only impact generated by season changes, things would be easier to solve (with a little coffee maybe!). The problem is that melatonin secretion is synchronized with the production of a neurotransmitter, serotonin, which is involved in several physiological processes such as temperature, blood-pressure regulation and in neuropsychological functions such as appetite, memory and mood. The two do not work together at the same time. When melatonin is secreted, serotonin production is inhibited. Lack of serotonin causes disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome and reflects its effects on mood also, triggering depression in some persons.

Melatonin is active at night and serotonin is active in the daytime. Also, there is the age factor that contributes to the balance of the two chemicals: the secretion of melatonin decreases with age. There has been established that the link between serotonin and melatonin along with their dependence on the body clock may explain the depression experienced by the people suffering from the disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD. Depression, sleep problems, weight gain, anxiety, joint pain, irritability, stress, headaches are some of the symptoms that may appear when we suffer from SAD.

The problem is primarily caused by the lack of sunlight. It has been scientifically proven that sunlight favors increase in serotonin levels and favors vitamin D accumulation. Besides having anti-osteoporotic, immunomodulatory, anticarcinogenic, antipsoriatic, antioxidant properties, vitamin D is also a mood-modulator.

UV rays exposure favors vitamin D synthesis in the skin. That is why persons who go to tanning salons have noticed mood improvement and keep the habit in order to maintain the state of well-being. However, it is common knowledge that the effects of the UV exposure are not always the most desirable ones. If going to tanning salons becomes a habit, then recurrent, prolonged UV exposure may result in consequences such as premature skin aging and eventually skin cancer.

Light therapy represents a way to treat SAD. Light operates on the body in two ways: through skin impact or by entering your eyes. Only UV light has effects on the skin, while the light that has effects by entering your eyes needs not be UV, it just has to be bright. Its energizing effect comes from the fact that it stimulates the production of serotonin. The simplest way to get enough bright light is to spend an hour a day or more outdoors, where the light levels range from 1,000 to 50,000 lux or more, compared to room lighting, which is about 50-200 lux.

If your schedule or the weather does not permit it, an alternative is to purchase a light therapy device. For optimum effects, the light source either has to be very bright – 5,000 lux or more – or it has to be in a particular spectrum – around 460 nanometers, which is in the blue range. According to new research, blue range light will provide benefits even if at a dimmer level. Most companies producing light bulbs make full spectrum lights that may successfully replace sunlight.

Yet, there are side effects that bright artificial light may induce, namely it may interfere with sleep (especially when exposure is made in the evening hours) or even trigger in some people a mania – condition called "bipolar disorder" (known as manic depression).

The safest remains the natural outdoor light, on condition that UV protection is used.

http://www.SunlessTanning.ws is a sunless tanning guide where you can find sunless tanning products reviews, advice and tips on how to get the most natural glowing tan the safe way.

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With the arrival of the cold season, besides cold-driven nuisance, some persons experience drawbacks regarding the general state, lack of energy and depression of unknown origin. It was scientifically ascertained that the lack of light favors the production of melatonin by the pineal gland, a hormone inducing sleep. That is why, during the cold seasons when days are shorter and the sunlight is scarce, we often feel sleepy or drowsy. Also, even during spring and summer, if the tendency is to keep most of the time indoors at home or at the office, the effect may be similar, though not as severe.

Well, if drowsiness were the only impact generated by season changes, things would be easier to solve (with a little coffee maybe!). The problem is that melatonin secretion is synchronized with the production of a neurotransmitter, serotonin, which is involved in several physiological processes such as temperature, blood-pressure regulation and in neuropsychological functions such as appetite, memory and mood. The two do not work together at the same time. When melatonin is secreted, serotonin production is inhibited. Lack of serotonin causes disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome and reflects its effects on mood also, triggering depression in some persons.

Melatonin is active at night and serotonin is active in the daytime. Also, there is the age factor that contributes to the balance of the two chemicals: the secretion of melatonin decreases with age. There has been established that the link between serotonin and melatonin along with their dependence on the body clock may explain the depression experienced by the people suffering from the disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD. Depression, sleep problems, weight gain, anxiety, joint pain, irritability, stress, headaches are some of the symptoms that may appear when we suffer from SAD.

The problem is primarily caused by the lack of sunlight. It has been scientifically proven that sunlight favors increase in serotonin levels and favors vitamin D accumulation. Besides having anti-osteoporotic, immunomodulatory, anticarcinogenic, antipsoriatic, antioxidant properties, vitamin D is also a mood-modulator.

UV rays exposure favors vitamin D synthesis in the skin. That is why persons who go to tanning salons have noticed mood improvement and keep the habit in order to maintain the state of well-being. However, it is common knowledge that the effects of the UV exposure are not always the most desirable ones. If going to tanning salons becomes a habit, then recurrent, prolonged UV exposure may result in consequences such as premature skin aging and eventually skin cancer.

Light therapy represents a way to treat SAD. Light operates on the body in two ways: through skin impact or by entering your eyes. Only UV light has effects on the skin, while the light that has effects by entering your eyes needs not be UV, it just has to be bright. Its energizing effect comes from the fact that it stimulates the production of serotonin. The simplest way to get enough bright light is to spend an hour a day or more outdoors, where the light levels range from 1,000 to 50,000 lux or more, compared to room lighting, which is about 50-200 lux.

If your schedule or the weather does not permit it, an alternative is to purchase a light therapy device. For optimum effects, the light source either has to be very bright – 5,000 lux or more – or it has to be in a particular spectrum – around 460 nanometers, which is in the blue range. According to new research, blue range light will provide benefits even if at a dimmer level. Most companies producing light bulbs make full spectrum lights that may successfully replace sunlight.

Yet, there are side effects that bright artificial light may induce, namely it may interfere with sleep (especially when exposure is made in the evening hours) or even trigger in some people a mania – condition called "bipolar disorder" (known as manic depression).

The safest remains the natural outdoor light, on condition that UV protection is used.

http://www.SunlessTanning.ws is a sunless tanning guide where you can find sunless tanning products reviews, advice and tips on how to get the most natural glowing tan the safe way.

Article Source: Seasonal Affective Disorder and Tanning Salons

While most of us suffer from a certain degree of anxiety due to the hectic schedules and constantly stressful situations we are exposed to in the modern society, some have it worse than others. The truth is that there is no one size fits all pattern on how to deal with anxiety since the reasons for these crises are quite different for everyone. Moreover, the intensity of the symptoms varies from tolerable to extremely high manifestations. The powerful manifestation of the anxiety symptoms can have a drastic negative effect on the quality of a person’s life, further influencing social relations and causing low self-esteem issues. And that is not the worse part, as leaving anxiety untreated usually causes the symptoms to aggravate.

People have various approaches on how to deal with anxiety, as while some prefer to simply remove themselves from distressful circumstances, other employ the help of alcohol or medication or attempt relaxation techniques. However, avoiding places or groups of people that cause anxiety cannot be perceived as a permanent solution, as anyone choosing that path is bound to miss out on a great deal of social interactions, necessary for the proper development of the personality. Moreover, long-term alcohol usage as well as medication that is not recommended by a professional have harmful side-effects on the body in the long run. While choosing relaxation techniques as a method on how to deal with anxiety is by far the least harmful, it does not work in every situation, especially if they are conducted without the supervision of a trained instructor.

Before you can learn how to deal with anxiety, you need to trace the cause of the problem to the roots. In most cases, severe anxiety manifestations are linked to childhood traumas or improper parenting techniques. However, the only one who can establish the correct diagnostic and choose the proper course of action to follow is a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. At this point it is worth noting that there are various schools of thought regarding the best approach, as not all therapists consider the same treatment methods equally efficient. On the other hand, choosing a reputable professional with a significant background of success regarding these anxiety guarantees the success of the therapy more often than not.

In order to maximize the efficiency of the treatment and ensure minimizing the symptoms and eventually relieving the condition altogether, you will need to follow the steps of the program recommended by your therapist. Moreover, since some information regarding your background can be perceived as too embarrassing to share, the key to a successful approach on how to deal with anxiety is feeling comfortable with the person treating you. Otherwise, keeping valuable pieces of information that would aid in discovering the roots of your anxiety disorder hinders the assessment of a correct diagnosis, thus your recommended therapy may not be the best one for the situation. On the other hand, finding someone you can openly discuss your problems with is a boon for anyone suffering from anxiety.

Click here to discover how to deal with anxiety or visit us at http://how-to-deal-with-anxiety.net.

Article Source: The Basic Guidelines On How To Deal With Anxiety