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Bipolar disorder is disease of the central nervous system and specifically of the brain. This disease produces manic depressives. Mania and depression are two extreme ranges of this disease that most people afflicted have to go through. The causes of bipolar disorder are not completely understood though it is understood that there are a couple of reasons for it to occur including physical changes in the brain, melatonin – the sleep hormone, environmental pressures, and even a genetic predisposition. There is no cure for bipolar disorder, and only a life-long course of medication and therapy can give the sufferer some relief; having said that, there are no natural remedies for bipolar disorder that will be effective either. This is because the brain is protected by a barrier that does not allow most drugs into it and most home remedies fail for this very reason. Therefore, the natural treatment for bipolar disorder lies in taking the doctor’s advice and therapy.

Symptoms

The symptoms of bipolar disorder vary from being in a manic, hyperactive state and go to the other end of the spectrum of being sluggish and depressed.

There are three types of bipolar disorder:

• Type 1 bipolar disorder is a condition in which the patient has had one manic episode that may or may not have been preceded with a state of depression.
• Type 2 bipolar disorder is one in which you have had at least one episode of depression that was followed by a condition called hypomania. Hypomania is a condition that is not a full blown mania but is characterized by an elevated mood and irritability. One could continue with one’s daily routine in most cases of this type of bipolar disorder. This form of the disorder usually has longer periods of depression than periods of hypomania – typically a few days.
• The last type is called cyclothymia. This is a condition that is the least severe form of the disease. It has the same highs and lows but it is not as severe. Other symptoms that you will see are suicidal tendencies, sometimes both depression and mania at the same time, and rapid mood swings.

The drugs that are used to treat episodes are antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and antidepressants. Some of the drugs that come under this category include lithium carbonate – effective when dealing with suicidal cases, quetiapine, olanzapine, sodium valporate, and a host of other drugs. Yoga is an alternative treatment that might be worth trying to control the mind.