The extreme change in moods is becoming an increasingly common problem. Medically, it is called Bipolar mood disorder is one kind of psychological disorder that is generally characterized by the extreme and intense swing in one’s behavior and moods like changes of mood from excessive joy or hilarity (manic) to extreme or deepest sadness or despondency (depression). This kind of intense change in the mood generally comes or appears in a cyclic and phasic manner, which can last for a few days to even for months.

Causes of bipolar mood disorder

The causes of Bipolar Mood Disorder may not be understood in all cases. There are some internal and external (circumstances) factors. The internal factors include genetic factors, hormonal and metabolic factors. The external factors include circumstantial socioeconomic and personal stress factors that may trigger and maintain the disease condition. Sometimes a difficult chronic physical illness can be followed by depression or may cause depression due to long-continued disease suffering. Some of the drugs such as corticosteroids or chemotherapy medicines can bring about mood changes.

Symptoms of Bipolar mood disorder

Symptoms may vary according to the stage of the disease. They are known to have sharp swings. A patient who is extremely nervous depressed and pitiable may suddenly become violent and aggressive.

Depressive State ↔ Normal Mental State ↔ à Manic State

Symptoms of a Depressive stater

• Persistent feelings of sadness and bad feeling.
• Loss of sleep or persistent sleeplessness.
• Loss of energy, persistent lethargy and tiredness. Maybe the chronic feeling of tiredness is not relieved by sleep.
• Lack of concentration in daily work.
• Lack of interest in work and in life.
• Irritability. Inability to tolerate slight contradiction.
• Loss of appetite and weight loss may be found.
• Sometimes even suicidal thoughts may come.
• The feeling of worthlessness in the family (low self-esteem)

Symptoms of a manic state

• Unrealistic but strong beliefs about their own strengths (feeling like Superman or a big authority), sometimes they may become violent.
• Increased talkativeness, fantasizing, cursing, and prophesying which is unreal to time, place and circumstances
• An excessive feeling of happiness.
• A tendency to rashly drive or drive wildly, with little regard for the safety of self and others.
• Tendency to spend money unnecessarily or lavishly
• Totally unaware of the surrounding real world.
• Increase the chance to get addicted to alcohol, smoking, tobacco, or gambling.
• Increased physical activity and excitement and reduced requirement of sleep.

Conventional treatment of bipolar mood disorder

Antidepressant medicines / ECT(Electroconvulsive therapy ) /anti-psychotic medicines (haloperidol / resperidone / lithium carb/ trifluoperazine/ chlordiazepoxide ) are prescribed conventionally for bipolar mood disorders.

Homeopathic treatment of Bipolar mood disorder

A bipolar mood disorder can be effectively managed with homeopathy, especially in the early stages. At Life Force, Dr Shah is treating several patients with Bipolar Disorder and mostly half of the patients have had a good improvement. Homeopathic medicine helps in stabilizing mood and reducing tantrums in intensity and in frequency also. The patient becomes more communicative, the need for E.C.T/antidepressant/antipsychotic medicine reduces and excitability comes down. The condition requires patience and slowly and steadily, definite improvement can be observed.

It must be noted that those patients who are on heavy anti-depression medicines for over two years are not good candidates for homeopathic treatment.