Bipolar Disorder is also known as manic depressive illness or manic depression. It is brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity level and ability.
These are categorized into four basic types all of them involve clear changes in mood. These mood swings are extremely change from periods like "up", elated and energized behavior (known as manic episodes) to very sad, "down" or hopeless periods (known as depressive periods). Rare manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.
In ayurveda text, there is no specific type of disease is mentioned. In Charak Samhita there is description of Unmada i.e. insanity, which affects mind, intelligence, perception, knowledge, behavioral activities and performance. This describes five type of Unmada which depends upon symptoms and involvement of dosha which can be correlated with bipolar disorder.
As per ayurveda, in this disorder the person is prone to vata imbalance and low ojas. Vata governs the movement, brain and nervous system, on the other side ojas signifies the immunity, strength and ability.
Bipolar Disorder is occurring due to imbalance of three fundamental biological qualities (vata, pitta and kapha) along with qualities of consciousness (sattva, rajas and tamas).
Bipolar Disorder Symptoms look different in different persons. There are four episodes of this disorder such as mania, hypomania, depression and mixed episodes. The symptoms are different in different episodes.
According to ayurveda, the symptoms may vary according to system involved such as if vata is involved (excitement, talkativeness, impulsive over sleep, racing thoughts), if Pitta is involved (Aggression or anger, over confidence, irritability, less sleep, hyperactivity), if Kapha is involved (low feeling, lack of enthusiasm, sadness, loss f appetite, lethargy, excess sleeping, inactivity).
The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown but it may be caused by any reason such as:-
As per ayurveda, overexcitement is due to aggravation of vata and depression is due to pitta. Vata imbalance is the main doshic principle behind bipolar disorder as highly aggravated vata leads to fear, isolation, anxiety, palpitations, nervous breakdown, mood swings, insomnia, tremors and instability. Besides the imbalance in dosha, low ojas aggravates the state of bipolar disorder as low confidence and immunity allows mood swings with vata imbalance (stressful conditions vitilates vata dosha easily).
Sometimes if a person has bipolar disorder that may also have other health problems like:-
If this problem is left untreated then it may results in serious problems like:-
Diagnosis of bipolar disorder includes:-
There are number of pharmacological and psychological treatment for management of bipolar disorder. It includes counselling along with medication that may help to treat bipolar disorder but there are side effects of medications used in depression such as diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness etc.