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The Fashion Industry and Its Effects

The Fashion Industry and Its Effects Written By: Aparna Syam  What is the Fashion Industry?      The fashion industry is one of the fastest growing industries with an annual growth rate of 21%. It is an industry worth 30 billion dollars and employs millions of people all over the world.     An industry as big as this is bound to have a profound effect on the lives of a “normal people” everywhere but the manifestation of those effects can vary depending on the socio-economic factors that one experiences. The Fashion Industry and the Socio-Political Ramifications      Most industries fuelled by multinational corporations are notorious for the exploitation of their factory workers and the fashion industry is no different.     Brands such as Zara, H&M and many more who market themselves as “affordable” often cut corners by forcing their workers to work incredibly long hours for less than a minimum wage....
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Normalized Mood Swings vs Bipolar Disorder.

 Normalized mood swings v bipolar disorder

Author: Allison Wong

What is Bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder- also formerly called manic-depressive illness. There are three types of bipolar disorder. All three types of can result in unnatural changes in mood, activity, energy, and concentration level as well as the ability to engage in daily activities. The three types of disorders are bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and cyclothymic disorder which is also known as cyclothymia.


Types of Disorders

Bipolar I disorder is a manic episode that can last at least 7 days long. This type of disorder also can result in manic symptoms and depressive episodes that will last for at least 2 days. The manic symptoms that are experienced with this disorder can be so severe that a person could need hospital care. In addition, people can experience both manic symptoms and depressive symptoms at the same time.


Bipolar II disorder is the second type of disorder that contains a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic episodes are characterized as mood elevation with noticeable behavior changes like the decreased need for sleep, increased talkativeness, marked distractibility, agitation, or increased and excessive participation in activities. While full-blown manic episodes are typical for bipolar II disorder, they rarely occur. 


Cyclothymic disorder is the third type of bipolar disorder characterized with periods of hypomanic symptoms and depressive symptoms that can last for at least 2 years. These symptoms also do not meet the requirements of a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode.



Causes and Symptoms

The cause of bipolar disorder is unknown. However, biological differences such as physical changes in the brains can help determine the cause of bipolar disorders. In addition to biological differences, genetics also can be involved in the disorders; having a first-degree relative like a sibling or parent may be involved in the cause of the bipolar disorder. 


Symptoms of bipolar disorder often include unusual intense emotion, changes in sleep schedules, as well as activity levels and behavior. These symptoms are often found in periods called “mood episodes.” Mood episodes include manic episodes and depressive episodes. People having a manic episode often have a boost in serotonin causing them to feel more irritable, energetic, and unusually important. They may do risky or impulsive things that show poor judgment as well as talking very fast about various things, having loss of appetite, and decreased need for sleep. On the other hand, people having a depressive episode may have trouble sleeping, sleeping too much, talking very slowly, having trouble concentrating and making decisions, and little interest in daily activities. Subsequently, someone may feel slowed down, sad, empty, worried, and hopeless during a depressive episode because of increased norepinephrine levels in the brain.


Treatments

Treatment plans for bipolar disorder can include medication and talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy. If you consider taking medication after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder you should talk to your physician about the medication you are already talking about along with the benefits and downsides of taking medication. You should also tell your physician about the side effects of medication so that they can help adjust and change your dose of medication. Psychotherapy can provide support, education, and guidance. Other treatments include electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation. In short, electroconvulsive therapy helps relieve severe symptoms of bipolar disorder through a brain stimulation procedure; and transcranial magnetic stimulation is a newer brain stimulation that uses magnetic waves. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is helpful for people with different subtypes of depression, but this stimulation for bipolar disorder is still under study.


If you believe you have experienced these symptoms or have seen bipolar disorder behavior in a friend or family member, I highly suggest you talk to your doctor about the right treatment plan for you. In addition, if misdiagnosed you may be given the wrong treatment which can worsen manic symptoms.

Image link:

https://media.istockphoto.com/vectors/young-woman-suffering-from-bipolar-disorder-psychological-diseases-vector-id1256136741?k=6&m=1256136741&s=612x612&w=0&h=3JRjvz-cbbJKDWqWO4Tc7cHG7InM7nK9AyqFm6Sl_70= 

https://www.verywellmind.com/thmb/XBQMgRdKQa3pMg2lFfknQGo-VnA=/1333x1000/smart/filters:no_upscale()/bipolar-disorder-how-often-do-people-cycle-3788142-c4da3009853b4ee888457dee0727e260.png

Resources:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/ 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/what-is-hypomania 

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