Schizophrenia vs Bipolar Disorder

22 de noviembre de 2020

4 min de lectura

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are mental illnesses that can be severe and debilitating. They are distinct mental illness that require medical treatment. Without treatment, people who suffer with these disorders can cause harm to themselves or others. The causes are unknown, and there is no single test that can diagnose these conditions. Doctors rely on physical examination, mental assessments, and family interviews. The symptoms of both disorders can often be effectively managed with proper medical care.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed during the late teen and early adulthood years, following an episode of psychosis (loss of reality or altered perceptions of the 5 senses). Gradual changes in mood, social skills, and thoughts can occur leading up to the first episode, but these signs may not be appreciated as schizophrenia until an obvious psychosis event occurs.

The symptoms of schizophrenia generally fall into the following categories:

Psychotic: hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thoughts and speech
Negative: decreased motivation, pleasure, emotions, and communication
Cognitive: problems concentrating and remembering things (even immediately after learning them)

These symptoms can be extremely severe and make it unsafe for the person to live in society, because they may harm themselves or others. Patients who do not have adequately managed symptoms may be admitted to the hospital and unable to live a normal, productive life.

Several risk factors for developing schizophrenia have been identified:

Genetic: It tends to run in families, but it is not possible to predict who will develop schizophrenia.
Environment: Stress, poverty, infections, and nutritional issues before birth.
Brain structure: The connections between regions of the brain and the normal functioning of neurotransmitters can be altered. These changes may be present at birth and the effects exacerbated by puberty.

Treatments

As the causes of schizophrenia appear to be multifaceted, current treatments focus on managing symptoms and minimizing impacts to functioning in society.

Antipsychotic medications can effectively reduce the intensity and frequency of psychotic episodes.
Psychosocial treatments can help teach people with schizophrenia how to cope with stress and manage the everyday challenges of living with this illness. Adherence to these treatments can decrease the risk of relapse and need for hospitalization.

Caring for an individual with schizophrenia requires a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals, social workers, and family members. Including family members in the care of patients can increase the chances of successful treatment, as well as support the emotional needs of family members.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder used to be known as manic depression. It is usually diagnosed during adolescence and early adulthood, but it can also occur in children or after childbirth. It is a mental disorder in which the individual has sudden and unusual changes in mood, activity, and ability to concentrate. The mood changes range from extremely energized and happy (or “manic”) to extremely depressed. There are 3 types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I Disorder: The person has manic and depressive episodes that last a week or more, and the symptoms are so severe that the person requires hospitalization to protect themselves and others from self-harm. It is possible for the person to experience manic and depressive symptoms during the same episode.
Bipolar II Disorder: The person has depressive episodes and relatively mild manic (hypomanic) episodes.
Cyclothymic Disorder: The person has periods of hypomanic and depressive symptoms that last for a while (at least 2 years in adults and 1 year in children), but the symptoms do not meet the requirements to be diagnosed as a hypomanic or depressive episode.

Sometimes people have the manic and depressive symptoms in the same episode. These mixed and contrasting emotions and energies can be very confusing for the patient and their loved ones. Patients undergoing manic episodes may harm themselves by engaging in risky sexual behaviors, spending money irresponsibly, use illicit drugs, or make other poor decisions related to general safety. Depressive symptoms can be debilitating, as the person may lack motivation to participate in daily life or become suicidal.

Scientist believe that biopolar disorder is caused by multiple factors, including altered brain structure and genetics. Research in this area is very active, and new learnings may improve the future treatments available to individuals who suffer with this disorder.

Treatments

Bipolar disorder cannot be cured, and individuals must learn to live with the disorder. Treatment is important, because over 80% of patients have severe impairment that is debilitating. Treatment plans typically involve a combination of medication and psychotherapy (talking to a therapist). In severe cases when medication and psychotherapy are not sufficient, more intensive therapies may be used, such as electroconvulsive therapy (brain stimulation).

Between episodes, people may be free of all or some of their symptoms. Attentive treatment can help people manage their symptoms and live relatively normal lives.

Sources

Información general, no consejo médico

Este artículo no puede tener en cuenta tu historial de salud ni tu tratamiento actual. Habla con un profesional sanitario cualificado antes de cambiar nada de tu cuidado.

Lee nuestro aviso médico →

En esta página

Pon en práctica lo que lees

Controla tus medicamentos, consulta un síntoma y habla con personas que viven con la misma enfermedad, todo en Healthread.

Descargar la app

Sigue leyendo