Bipolar Causes

The specific causes of Bipolar disorder are not entirely clear. However, the consensus at this point is that the predominant cause is biological in nature and that it is manifested by a malfunction in neurotransmitters in the brain. What has contributed to the difficulty of pinpointing Bipolar's cause is that these malfunctions in the chemical messengers in the brain can either be functioning perfectly normally or their malfunction is passive until a particularly stressful life event triggers the manifestation of their impairment. Sometimes, these chemical messengers can become defective spontaneously. Thus, for a long time Bipolar was thought to be a result of traumatic events when in reality these events were merely triggers for the condition that already existed.

Extensive research into Bipolar disorder has gleaned some interesting clues. Bipolar disorder tends to occur within families, though, obviously, there can be a first cause to the disorder. One has a fifteen to twenty five percent chance of suffering from Bipolar disorder if one parent has any of a number of mood disorders, such as depression. Dramatic negative life events, particularly events that are viewed by one with a latent manifestation of Bipolar as having been the cause of the event are milestones that physicians watch for. Still, these stressors or social circumstances can trigger Bipolar disorder when the cause of of these events are clearly not the fault of the one with the illness.

Since Bipolar disorder is primarily neurological, other factors can trigger or exacerbate the illness. Though drug and alcohol abuse are not causes of Bipolar disorder, they are often culpable in triggering an episode, which, when considering the nature of the effects of drug and alcohol abuse, can cause a misdiagnosis of the disorder itself. The most common substances linked to a Bipolar episode are cocaine, appetite suppressants, cold medications, drugs for thyroid conditions, and caffeine. Additionally, drug and alcohol abuse can mask the symptoms of Bipolar disorder and will often impede successful treatment.

Finally, treatment of other mood disorders with medications can trigger a Bipolar episode. Thus, for example, when treating for depression in one who has a history or a familial tie to Bipolar, it is imperative to be cautious. Often, anti Bipolar drugs are prescibed in conjunction with anti-depressant drugs to create an upper level barrier to mood alterations.

As you see, bipolar causes can remain elusive when trying to pinpoint them.

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