Bipolar mood disorder is thought to have a genetic component, however it is not known if there is a 'gene' for bipolar disorder or if it is a vulnerability to severe mood swings that is passed on through families.

Often in families where there is one person with manic depressive illness there are other family members who have episodes of depressive illness or hypomania. Causes for mood swings Some physical illnesses, recreational drugs and medications have been shown to have an impact on mood swings. Depression can be common after viral illnesses and mood swings can also be caused by viral or bacterial infections in the brain. A few other medications like hormone preparations and medications to lower blood pressure can set off mood swings in certain people. Get a physical check up to exclude any other symptoms and causes when you experience mood swings. Treatment options For both mania and depression there are medications that might be suggested for treatment. Mood stabilizer or certain tranquilizers are used to treat manic illnesses. Antidepressants may be suggested to relieve symptoms of depression. Talk to your doctor about those options before you take something on your own as for some people one or the other might cause the opposite result if not monitored. Counselling and therapy should always be included in the treatment to work on helping the individual to deal with challenges. It will help to develop suitable capabilities, involve resources and support mechanism and develop inner strength. 

Hospitalization may only Nooflex be needed when the person is suffering from a severe episode and is under suicide risk or not able to care for themselves. Day treatment programs are also suggested and allow greater flexibility in the person's life while still maintaining close support to the mental health professional. Remember: If you're concerned that your loved one is dealing with bipolar disorder seek external support and get them checked out by a medical professional. Want to know more? Have a look at my blog. An expression often heard in connection with the brain is 'use it or lose it.' Those words certainly ring true. Scientists have determined that if the brain is not stimulated through various brain exercises, neuronal and neuron connections die. So what types of brain exercises can keep you sharp way into old age? Deferring exercises stimulate different areas of the brain. Some exercises stimulate areas of the brain which stimulate the emotional parts which help us develop skills in communication and cooperation with others, while others stimulate areas of the brain which handle analytical thinking, including dealing with numbers and logical thinking. Before beginning any brain exercises, understand then you are never too old to learn. You have to be willing to try out new things and expand your perspective. One such area is music, the entire brain seems to be stimulated by music. This is because the brain is divided into two parts, the left and right hemispheres. This match is music, which has two sides, the lyrical content and the beat. Scientists have discovered that while music activates the right hemisphere of the brain, the left hemisphere is actively analyzing what is being said. This stimulation of the entire brain allows one to develop both emotionally and analytically. Other brain exercises include learning a new art, such as a new language. Learning something new is a fantastic way to activate new neurons and neural connections.

This literally grows your brain. An interesting fact scientists have noticed, is that the brain is one of the few parts of the body that seems to resist aging. As you exercise your brain and put it to good use. Giving it a variety of intellectual stimulation, it grows well the rest of the body ages. Clearly, you can keep your mind young and yourself highly intelligent by continually using brain exercises that test your skills in the challenge you to explore new things. As an added benefit, such brain exercises have demonstrated the ability to counter the development of certain brain disorders associated with old age. It is true that as we age, we tend to be more forgetful of where we placed our car keys or the name of someone we just met. While age affects short-term memory, it seems that the long-term memory is not affected even after a severe brain disorder. Doesn't it make sense to make your goal to improve your memory with brain exercises? There is an abundance of puzzles, projects and quizzes that you can try that can also be found online. For more brain teasers you take on, the more capacity your brain will have to serve you and the longer it will do so. Almost one in ten Americans or over 22 million people abuse drugs regularly, including alcohol and nicotine. If continued long enough, the abuse can alter the structure of the brain and cause a pathological need for the drug called drug addiction. This condition causes the addict to spend more time on getting and thinking about the drug than on carrying on normal social activities in spite of adverse consequences. Addiction begins with early experiences with the drug in question which almost always produce feelings of pleasure and appear to subdue stress and emotional pain. 

Continued experimentation leads to connecting the drug's effects to a neural network of natural reward systems that normally helps us to stay alive by producing pleasure for such actions as eating after feeling hungry and drinking after one is thirsty. This promotes continued use of the drug and leads to addiction and dependence. The process of becoming addicted involves several factors including motivation, genetics and the drugs themselves and how quickly they enter the brain. All of these factors interact to cause addiction. Alcoholism is one of America's major health problems with nearly 14 million people who abuse alcohol. Cirrhosis of the liver and other liver diseases cause more than 25,000 deaths a year with the annual cost of alcohol abuse estimated to be $185 billion. Club drugs like Ecstasy are rumored to increase stamina while deepening intoxication but research is finding out the serious damage that can occur to several parts of the brain with long term changes to those parts of the brain that are critical to memory and pleasure. Many users experiment with a combination of these club drugs and this complicates matters, causing death after high doses. Marijuana distorts perception and can affect neural structures connected to memory and learning which explains why heavy users have memory problems and difficulty processing complex information. Studies have found that the active ingredient called THC binds with certain neural receptors responsible for these capabilities. Scientists are trying to develop medicines to target these same neural systems in order to treat brain disorders like addiction, anxiety and depression. 

Nicotine is used by more than 70 million Americans and it kills more than 430,000 of them every year which is more than alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, suicide, car accidents, fire and AIDS combined. It is the most widely abused substance and the leading preventable cause of death in the country, costing about $80 billion. Nicotine acts through a well known receptor and acts as a stimulant and sedative. The "kick" in tobacco is caused by nicotine stimulation of the adrenal glands causing a sudden release of sugar and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. It also suppresses insulin production in the body and releases dopamine in the brain, causing people to continue smoking. Opiates have been used for thousands of years and increase the dopamine released in the brain reward system. They relieve pain, depress breathing, cause nausea and vomiting and stop diarrhea which are all important medical uses. In large doses, opiates like heroin can make breathing very shallow or stop altogether which has killed thousands of people. The standard treatment for opiate addiction is methadone that controls craving and withdrawal symptoms. Newer long lasting treatments are under development. Herbs are very good supplements that will improve your memory. Occasional mental blocks, or memory lapses are natural human occurrences. As we age, our brain deteriorates, most especially when we do not exercise our brain. Proper nutrition goes hand in hand with mental health. 

Taking herbal supplements in addition to a proper diet can do wonders for a brain. Gotu kola , the leaves of this swamp plant have been used globally for centuries to treat ailments such as leprosy, cancer, tuberculosis and arthritis. It is also used to treat skin disorders. This is not only a treatment for insomnia, but also been used to improve mental functioning. Gotu kola stimulates the brain, therefore suppressing anxiety, clearing thought process. It is also used to lower blood pressure, to relax muscles, and to relieve tension, therefore good blood circulation is noted in its consumers. Gotu kola regenerates bone, muscles, including brain tissue. Gingko biloba is another brain herb, powerful for its rich antioxidant content that cleanses the blood vessels, purifying it from unwanted cholesterol and clearing up the pathway for good blood circulation and healthy distribution of blood and oxygen to the brain up to our toes. Adequate blood and oxygen supply therefore improves memory and cognitive brain functions. It delays degenerative brain disorders, including intellectual impairment. Ginseng is used as preventive tonic to stimulate the entire body to overcome stress and fatigue. This brain herb also helps the body to adapt to stress and to regenerate and rebuild the sexual hormones. It helps stimulate production of immune cells called "killer T-cells" that fights viruses and bacteria, thus boosting the immune system. 

Rosemary is another herb boosting mental function. It is a popular spice used in plenty of dishes around the world, due to its appealing scent. Besides the scent, rosemary has many benefits. It improves and strengthens memory. It stimulates circulation of blood to the head, improving concentration and information retention. India is the top producer of turmeric. Just like rosemary, turmeric is incorporated in numerous dishes to add spice and flavor. It is popular for its bitter and musky astringent taste. Most elderly in Asia would chew turmeric or even make it a paste to relieve arthritis and rheumatism. It has an antibacterial component, thus is it boiled and sipped to alleviate sore throat.