Fibromyalgia and Bipolar Disorder

The Connection Between Fibromyalgia and Bipolar Disorder

What is a bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness. It is a brain disorder which causes changes in the mood, energy activation level, and the inability to carry out the normal day to day routine.

There are four of the most basic types of bipolar disorder: all of these types involve changes in the mood and activity levels of a person. These moods can be too much elated to be very sad.

Bipolar 1 disorder

These are known as manic episodes and they last for seven to eight days. The symptoms of these can be so severe that they might need medical treatment.

In this type of disorder, a person experiences severe depression which might last for 2 to 3 weeks.

One should not waste time and seek medical treatment at once instead of wasting time.

Bipolar II disorder

This type of disorder is defined by a series of depressive orders combined with episodes of hypomanic symptoms. This type of disorder is not as severe as the one mentioned above.

Cyclothymic disorder

This type of disorder is also known as cyclothymia and in this kind of disorder, a person faces severe depression and hypomanic symptoms which might last for about two years.

In children, this disorder might last for a year almost. One should seek medical treatment in this type of disorder as well.

Other specified and unspecified bipolar disorders

This type of bipolar disorder is completely different from the above ones and does not match any of the above.

Signs and symptoms of bipolar

People who have bipolar disorders usually experience emotional stress along with severe mood swings, changes in sleep pattern, inability to perform the day to day activities and unusual behaviors.

These episodes are known as mood episodes and these are not at all like the normal mood swings which people experience.

A bipolar disorder can be present even if the mood swings are not that extreme. For instance, people who face bipolar disorder can experience hypomania which is not severe at all.

The connection between fibromyalgia and bipolar

Fibromyalgia itself is although an invisible condition but it has an important connection with some mental health symptoms.

Fibromyalgia has the capability to cause a heavy mental impact on the patients both physically and mentally.

There is a great connection between fibromyalgia and bipolar symptoms as a scientific study has reached to the conclusion that those patients who experience fibromyalgia lead a very poor quality of life as compared to those who do not experience this disease.

A great link was found out between discomfort caused by fibromyalgia and mental health problems by the Cleveland Clinic.

A study conducted with patients dealing with fibromyalgia came to the conclusion that about 82 percent of the female population and 43 percent of the male population dealt with mood disorders and mental health problems according to with the disease fibromyalgia.

The results shown were as:

  • No depression- 12 percent
  • Mild- 29 percent
  • Moderate- 28 percent
  • Moderate-severe- 18 percent
  • Severe- 15 percent

Fibromyalgia and Bipolar Disorder

Apart from this, almost 42 percent of the patients had anxiety issues and 22 percent of the patients had a history of bipolar disorder.

It was evolved that with patients who had a severe issue of depression along with fibromyalgia disease had to face more of the bipolar symptoms along with morning sickness.

The researchers also confessed that patients with severe fibromyalgia conditions, high amount of symptoms, prolonged morning stiffness, and who take a lot of medicines to cure the disease might experience bipolar symptoms as well.

About one of the five patients experiencing fibromyalgia have bipolar disorder according to the latest research conducted.

Research also led to the fact that some medications that were used in the treatment of fibromyalgia might trigger bipolar symptoms in patients.

This is true as the anti-depressants that are given during the treatment of fibromyalgia might trigger bipolar symptoms.

On the other hand, the sudden withdrawal of antidepressants might also trigger bipolar symptoms in an individual.

Sometimes, the drugs that are given to treat bipolar might cause intense pain and some people call it fibromyalgia.

Patients who have fibromyalgia can easily experience mental problems as well.

Some patients who face a high level of fibromyalgia might face severe depression and those factors can affect them both physically and mentally.

In the beginning, this condition might not be visible but with the later stages of this diseases, the signs might start to appear and become visible.

When people are affected by fibromyalgia, they are also affected by a very high level of mental stress. This is when the symptoms of bipolar are seen.

When these symptoms intensify, people might start to act weird and being happy and contented in their life seems extremely challenging for them. Some common signs and feelings that are associated with bipolar and fibromyalgia are:

  • Irritable and queasy feeling
  • Mood swings
  • Get distracted easily
  • Lack of sleep
  • Not constant on one activity and one thought
  • Taking too much of the workload and pressure
  • Restlessness

These symptoms might not be experienced by everyone having fibromyalgia and bipolar but these might start to appear with time.

In fibromyalgia, the patient experiences physical pain to the extreme. When the body feels restless and is in pain, it will ultimately affect the mind and cause mental illness. This is where fibromyalgia and bipolar usually connect.

People suffering from fibromyalgia are already very weak and have lost their immunity due to this disease.

Gaining control is not easy along with fighting this disease. This is when the symptoms of bipolar usually start to become visible.

You should immediately contact your doctor and seek medical advice in order to cure this problem.

To analyze your body is the first thing that you should do. A good doctor will help you to overcome these issues without having to face that much of difficulty.

Your doctor might prescribe you some antidepressants in order to overcome the connection between fibromyalgia and bipolar. Some treatment is also provided which includes proper counseling.

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