Bipolar Disorders: A Literature Review

For the purposes of this literature review, the PubMed and Clinicalkey database was used through the Medical Library of the National Guard Health Services. This research emphasizes on types of bipolar disorder and its risk factors in adults. Therefore, the following four search terms were used: bipolar disorder, risk factors, adult. As a result of using these 4 search terms, articles were found. The following literature review provides a brief summary of information contained in those articles. Bipolar disorder is a type of a brain disorder, which is also known as manic-depressive illness. it causes unusual changes in the mood, activity level , energy, and capability of performing daily tasks. For example, some people may feel very happy and energetic and suddenly their mood change causes them to be sad and less energetic.

Bipolar disorder is most common in adolescences from the age 15-19 and adults from the age group 20-24. Bipolar disorder type 1 effect both adult males and females equally, however bipolar disorder 2 is more common in females.3 Adults with bipolar disorder go through many challenges in order to manage the disorder due to its chronic , dynamic, and altering nature. Therefore, managing the bipolar disorder is very difficult in challenging, for it can affect the patients work, social life, relationship, etc.4 The onset of bipolar disorder symptoms typically appear during adolescence or early adulthood and are recurrent during the patient's lifetime. The symptoms of bipolar disorder are defined as unpredictable repeated hypomanic/manic or depressive episodes. Approximately, the prevalence of bipolar disorder among adults recorded to be 4%. The management of bipolar disorder was estimated to cost the Us healthcare in 2009 150 billion