#014 - Bipolar Disorder: Seeking Peace Between Darkness and Chaos (Prof. Steven Jones)

Summary: So what is bipolar disorder, and how does it differ from plain old depression? In this episode Prof. Steven Jones helps us to untangle the various manifestations of bipolar including bipolar types 1 and 2, and cyclothymia. We discuss the nature and duration of mood swings and what triggers them, and we examine the concept of mania and manic episodes and how these affect people's thoughts and behaviours. We also explore mixed affective states, where the person experiences depression and mania simultaneously, and why this can increase the risk of suicide in people with bipolar. We discover why both adolescence and middle age are times when people are particularly susceptible to the onset of bipolar, the causal link between sleep deprivation and mania, the controversial topic of bipolar in children and whether or not it actually exists, treatment options, personality variables, issues of cultural context, and loads more in between. For show notes and to join the conversation visit: http://myownworstenemy.org/podcast Email: danny@myownworstenemy.org Follow Danny on Twitter: twitter.com/dannydwhittaker