Patient Information
Bipolar disorder is a complex illness which can vary a great deal in nature and severity between people.
People with bipolar disorder have problems with their moods, experiencing extreme highs and lows.
If you have bipolar disorder you will experience periods or ‘episodes’ of highs known as mania or hypomania and usually, periods of depression.
You may also have problems with thinking and perception, which can include symptoms of psychosis. This can include thinking things that are not true (delusions) and seeing or hearing things that are not there (hallucinations).
It’s normal to feel sad or miserable sometimes. But if your mood stays low for weeks at a time, keeps returning, or interferes with your life, it could be a sign of depression.
Depression is not the same as being sad and is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw. It is an illness and can have a serious effect on a person’s life and the lives of those around them. In severe cases it can make everyday life extremely difficult, and even lead to suicide.
You may also have problems with thinking and perception, which can include symptoms of psychosis. This can include thinking things that are not true (delusions) and seeing or hearing things that are not there (hallucinations).
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition where you have recurring obsessions, compulsions, or both.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common mental health problem. Symptoms typically include recurring thoughts and repetitive actions in response to the recurring thoughts. A common example is recurring thoughts about germs and dirt, with a need to wash your hands repeatedly to 'clean off the germs'. However, there are many other examples.
Schizophrenia is an illness that affects thinking, feelings and behaviour in about 1% of the population at some point in their lives.
It is a major cause of disability and can affect people from all cultures and ethnic groups.
Men are slightly more likely to develop the illness than women. Most people with schizophrenia first develop the condition between the ages of 16-35.
Self-harm is when someone intentionally damages or injures their body.
There are many different ways people can intentionally harm themselves, such as cutting or burning their skin, punching or hitting themselves and poisoning themselves with tablets or toxic chemicals.
Around one in three of us will experience occasional sleep problems at some point in our lives.
Longer lasting sleep problems are also common and affect around one in every ten people. These problems come in many shapes and sizes. For more serious problems you may need to work out what the underlying causes are and the type of treatments that could work for you.