Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder can be divided into two separate states of activity. Mania is a state of increased energy and activity while depressive episodes are periods of decreased activity and overall and overall depressed mood. Symptoms of mania include an overly long "high" feeling, increased irritability, and extreme restlessness. Symptoms of a depressive episode can be anything from long periods od sadness or hopelessness to suicidal thoughts or actions.
Bipolar disorder tends to run in families so having a parent or sibling with the disorder increase your chances of eventually developing it. The disease tends to first appear during the late teens or early adulthood. Most scientist however, agree that there is no single cause, but rather multiple factors that come together to cause this disease.
This disease can be treated in a few different ways including psychotherapy, medication, or even Electroconvulsive Therapy. Sometimes a psychotherapy technique known as Psychoeducation is used to teach the patient about their disease so that they can better predict mood swings and seek help early. Medications such as Lithium are used as mood stabilizers to treat both depressive and manic episodes.
Paranoid Schizophrenia
Paranoid Schizophrenia is a type of schizophrenia where the patient had false beliefs that people or groups are plotting against them. Symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia include auditory hallucinations, delusions, anxiety, and detachment. These auditory hallucinations can sometimes be voices of people reacting to things you do, telling you you were wrong, or even talking about the people who are "plotting against you".
Causes of Paranoid schizophrenia can range from heredity to prenatal viral infections. People who have family with schizophrenia have a much higher chance of developing it, having a parent with it jumps yours chances from 1% to 10%. Pregnancy can contribute is many different ways to the chances of developing this incurable disease. Prenatal viral infections or malnutrition and the age of the parent when the child is born can all contribute to increased chance of schizophrenia.
The usual treatment for paranoid schizophrenia is medication, specifically anti psychotics. There however, exists the risk of very rare but serious side effects making some people reluctant to take them. For those unwilling to medicate there is psychotherapy. Psychotherapist methods for treating paranoid schizophrenia include individual therapy, family therapy, and social skills training.