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Mania
Medical Questions » Mania
| Name: Mania |
| Also known as: |
| The opposite of depression, but often associated with depression, as patients may swing from one mood extreme to the other (bipolar personality or manic-depressive disorder). More serious forms of mania include pyromania (the inability to resist the temptation to light fires) and kleptomania (the inability to resist the temptation to steal). |
Causes of Mania
Generally unknown, but attacks may be triggered by stress and anxiety, drug abuse or epilepsy. |
Symptoms of Mania
Patients change their ideas rapidly, speak quickly on different topics that are not apparently connected, become over-involved in activities, move very quickly to the point where minor accidents are common, require little sleep, are very irritable and lose their temper easily. In severe cases, marked aggression may occur, there may be exceedingly grand ideas about their importance and ability, and rash decisions may be made such as resigning from a job or making inappropriate major purchases. Exhibitionism, excessive sexual desires, pointless travel and attempting to obtain media coverage are other symptoms. The patient may believe that others are persecuting him/her (paranoia), have hallucinations, hear imaginary voices, and feel rejected by society. Episodes usually commence suddenly, and may last from hours to months. They may be preceded or followed by a period of intense depression during which suicide is a risk. |
Tests for Mania
None diagnostic. |
Treatment for Mania
One or more anti psychotic medications such as lithium. If the patient is perceived by a doctor to be at risk of suicide or injuring others and refuses to accept treatment, the doctor may, with the cooperation of relatives or another doctor, certify the patient so that the police are empowered to take the patient to a psychiatric hospital for compulsory treatment.
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Complications of Mania of its treatment
There is a risk that patients who are manic will injure themselves or others by their actions. |
Likely Outcome of Mania
If the patient can be convinced to remain on medication, good control can be obtained. Unfortunately, many patients cannot see why they should take drugs for many months or years, and stop them prematurely which leads to a relapse into the mania or depression. |
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