^{The specialist points out that the disease has no cure, but it can be controlled with the appropriate treatment. Photo: Disclosure.}

World Bipolar Disorder Day, March 30, is celebrated annually in honor of the birth of the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vicent Van Gogh, who was posthumously diagnosed as a likely carrier of bipolar disorder. The objective of the date is to draw attention to bipolar disorders, combat prejudice, especially with the disease carriers, and bring information to the population, since misinformation is one of the barriers faced by patients, families and health care professionals.

“Bipolar disorder has a significant impact on the quality of life of patients and their families. For this reason, knowledge of the disease and its losses on the part of family members is necessary, since they will have the skills to better deal with the entire treatment process”, says psychiatrist Aline Valente Chaves, a doctor invited by Prati-Donaduzzi to speak on the disease and member of the scientific committee of the Brazilian Association of Family, Friends and Affective Disorder (ABRATA). 

Disease

Bipolar disorder is characterized by sudden changes in mood that affect the person's ability to deal with daily tasks, and significantly interfere in the interpersonal relationships and quality of life of individuals. Symptoms are often accompanied by changes in sleep, appetite, changes in mood and changes in thinking, such as extreme pessimism and suicidal ideas in depression and ideas of grandeur and power in manic states ”, explains the psychiatrist.

The disease is identified by the phases of hypomania (milder) and of moderate or severe mania and the mixed states, where there is a mixture of symptoms of the orders. Hypomania is a mild, very common and poorly diagnosed mania, which can last for a few days, with the same symptoms, but without the same severity. Mania, on the other hand, is characterized by moments of irritation and even aggression; expansiveness of mood and increased energy.

Bipolar disorder might appear at any age and the diagnosis is capable of being challenging, as it is often confused with other diseases. There are people who have symptoms such as anxiety, attention and behavioral disorders, such as attention deficit and hyperactivity, and even constant changes in mood, but do not develop bipolarity.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), bipolar affective disorder currently affects about 140 million people worldwide and is considered one of the main causes of disability.

Treatment

The psychiatrist points out that the disease has no cure, but it can be controlled with the appropriate treatment, which includes the use of medications, psychotherapy, especially Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and changes in lifestyle, such as the end of the consumption of psychoactive substances such as caffeine, alcohol and other drugs as a whole.

Acquiring new habits also collaborate with the control of the condition, such as keeping a healthy eating routine and regulated sleep; practice physical activities that can be light, such as walking and swimming, and any activity that contributes to the reduction of stress levels.

It is important to emphasize that seeking medical advice in the face of any symptom is the most correct way to diagnose the disease properly, as well as to carry out the appropriate treatments, resulting in improved quality of life for the patient and family.

* This content is elaborated by Prati-Donaduzzi pharmaceutical industry, with the aim of bringing more information about health to the population. The company also provides physicians with exclusive access to content on various pathologies, among other materials on the website: https://www.evolucaoparavida.com.br/.

PRATI-DONADUZZI

Prati-Donaduzzi, a Brazilian pharmaceutical industry, is specialized and a benchmark in the development and production of generic drugs. Headquartered in Toledo, Western Paraná, it produces approximately 12 billion therapeutic doses per year and generates more than 4,500 employments. The industry has one of the largest generic drug portfolios in Brazil and it has been working in the area of Medical Prescriptions since 2019.