Bipolar disorder causes
What causes bipolar disorder?
Scientists don't know exactly what causes bipolar disorder in people. It's probably a combination of genetics, environment and other factors that create chemical imbalances in the brain.
The chemical imbalance may be caused by a problem with hormones or with certain chemicals called neurotransmitters. These chemicals act as "messengers" to the brain's nerve cells.
Scientists also are just beginning to understand the genetics of the disorder. They believe that small variations in some genes can make you more likely to have bipolar disorder. When several of the genes with the variations are combined, they can affect your brain.
Sometimes environmental factors such as a period of emotional stress, substance abuse or illness can trigger the disease for the first time or can trigger bipolar episodes.
Who has bipolar disorder?
If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you are not alone. About 5.7 million Americans have the disease. Others may not be accurately diagnosed with the disorder. They may have anxiety, depression or substance abuse disorders and are in treatment for those conditions rather than bipolar disorder. Sometimes individuals with bipolar disorder are misdiagnosed with schizophrenia.
Bipolar disorder can develop no matter what your age or where you live. It does tend to run in families, so individuals with the disorder may have close family members who also have been diagnosed.
There also is more than one type of bipolar disorder. The types are classified according to how severe the symptoms are and the pattern of moods involved. Patients with one type of the disorder may develop another type.
Other illnesses and bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder commonly coexists with other illnesses. Diagnosing and treating other conditions that occur with bipolar disorder is important to managing the disease. The other conditions may include:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Substance abuse
- Heart disease
- Autoimmune thyroiditis, in which the immune system damages the thyroid gland
Learn more about the symptoms and types of bipolar disorder.
