As you may know, Bipolar is not just a type but a category of mood disorders, having more complicated symptoms and effects. Bipolar is of many types, some being Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2, and one of its effects is depression.
Bipolar 2 is a type of Bipolar disorder, due to which not only depression but periods of high energy called Hypomania is also caused. These phases of High energy look just like insomnia or anxiety.
Bipolar and depression, when combined together may lead to very harmful consequences. Basically, a person suffering from Bipolar disorder, or Bipolar depression has mood swings, which can be frequent, one after another, or after a period of time, in between 2 normal mood periods.
These different types of mood swing patterns consists of periods of depression and manic episodes, which are unique to the individual having the disorder, but can be identified once the pattern is predicted. The treatment after the diagnosis has been done has to be tailor made according to the needs of individual patients. What works for one, may not work for someone else as Bipolar depression has various levels.
Bipolar depression is a serious disorder of the brain, and people suffering from it have abnormalities in the brain, which causes swings in energy, mood and body functioning. It is caused due to chemical changes in the body and hence cannot be treated by therapy alone. It has to be treated with a combination of medicines and therapy, which can yield excellent results over the long term.
It is a kind of cyclic disorder in which people show elevated depressive and manic episodes periodically. These cycles can repeat themselves everyday, multiple times a day or can come every few weeks, it depends on person to person.
One of the serious effects of Bipolar depression is major depressive episode, which is characterized by severe highly consistent depression followed by lack of appetite, restlessness, tiredness or fatigue, and insomnia (lack of sleep). The victim may think about harming himself, and may actually commit a suicide, and this has to be careful seen to, so that the person can be prevented from doing himself any harm if the situation arises, or rushed to a doctor.
Depression caused by bipolar disorder are complicated than those caused due to other reasons. They don’t go away easily by the usual antidepressants or psychotherapy, but can be treated over a period of time, by right medications.
There are many features of a bipolar depression episode. Patients can be extremely irritated with everyone, and distracted. Nothing seems to occupy their attention for very long time. Patients lose interest in activites, which they used to do with pleasure before. There is also a marked decrease in energy and loss of appetite. Patients also lose all interest in life and generally talk pessimistically. Some even talk of ending their lives. In such cases, patients should be rushed to a doctor immediately. Patients are also irritable and restless.