Suicide and the Bipolar Patient

People with bipolar disorder type I and type II have different risk factors concerning the cours of the illness. The suicide risk factors for bipolar II are less severe than type I. Many bipolar II patients are diagnosed with severe depression because of the absemce of true manis. The hypomanic symptoms are harder to diagnose. Some psychiatrists say there is a higher suicide risk associated with patients who are bipolar type II.

When a person commits suicide without anyone expecting it, they are usually bipolar II patients. Even people close to the person may have thought that they were the happiest person in the world because of their hypomania. Suicidal behavior is different in each bipolar patient, but with bipolar II the symptoms are easier to control. Minimizing suicide attempts as well as suicidal thoughts can be treated with medications that may not be be used with other types of bipolr disoorders. Studies have shown that patients are at a higher risk of bipolar suicides when left untreated. Psychiatrists look for depressive symptoms, manic symptoms and/or psychotic symptoms in all bipolar patients. Many bipolar II patients have contemplated suicide and engage in suicidal thinking.

A severe depressive episode can cause suicidal thoughts. Racing thoughts that cause irritable mood in the patient repetive thoughts can brig about suicidal attempts. One may feel helpless and drowning in a sea of problems and the idea spurs thoughts of actually jumping off of a bridge, which is a common symptom of bipolar depression. Depending on how severe the depression episode the person is experiencing the thoughts of suicide can range from jumping in front of a car to throwing themselves in front of a train. Hospitalization for treatment with antipsychotics are often needed to protect the person from death.

Alcohol or illegal drugs can be a factor in bipolar suicides. Substance abuse only multiplies the risk of suicide. Every individual experiences many differences in symptoms, which require different therapy in order to stabilize the patient. Many bipolar patients will engage in substance abuse with prescription or legal drugs, many times causing symptoms of psychosis, with delusions and hallucinations in the patient.

Even with new treatments, medications and research into the why bipolars attempt suicide the risk of actually completing the act bipolars are still at risk for suicide. Often therapy can eliminate the attempts teaching the patient to become more aware of the symptoms. Doctors are looking at diagnosing bipolar disorder more often and the chances of misdiagnosing has lessened. The key to the problem is early intervention and treatment even when the patient is not willing to receive treatment.

Looking for early warning signs from the person who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder can help lower the risks of suicide dramatically.