eating disorder is characterized by a destructive relationship with food, an inconsolable depression, a distorted body image, and a pattern of inappropriate behaviours that interfere with normal life.

Yes. First, learn all you can about your illness by reading books, going to lectures and talking to your doctor. Get support from others who also have the illness. The Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association is a good place to look for a support group in your area. In these groups, you can hear how others face the challenges of life and manage their mood and treatment medications. For helpful hints for managing your illness, see Coping With Bipolar Disorder.

TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, stands for a broad range of muscle and joint dysfunctions that affect the jaw. TMJ could present itself as a minor clicking or popping that occurs when you open and close your mouth, or as a persistent pain extending into your face, neck, and shoulders, affecting posture and even mobility.

Bipolar disorder (commonly referred to as manic-depression) is a major affective disorder in which an individual alternates between states of deep depression and extreme euphoria (mania).

Sleep disorders are characterized by a set of conditions that create a disturbance in the amount, quality, or timing of a person's sleep.

Siblings of persons with the disorder have a 25% chance of carrying the mutations responsible for hereditary hemochromatosis, while children with one affected parent have a 5% chance of being affected. When both parents have the disorder, children have a 100% chance of carrying the hereditary hemochromatosis mutations. However, it is not known what proportion of these affected individuals will develop iron overload during their lifetimes.

autoimmune disorder is any of a number of conditions in which a person's immune system reacts against the body's own organs or tissues, and the person's immune system produces antibodies to them. An autoimmune disorder is NOT an "immune deficiency". In the case of vitiligo, we believe that the immune system probably sees the person's own pigment cells as foreign bodies, and attacks them, destroying them or weakening them.

Some people have episodes that occur less than nightly with no evidence of dental injury or impairment of psychosocial functioning. And others experience nightly episodes with evidence of mild impairment of psychosocial functioning. Yet others have nightly episodes with evidence of dental injury, tempomandibular (jaw) disorders, other physical injury or moderate or severe impairment of psychosocial functioning.

Pelvic floor disorders may include bowel problems. However, some patients will have weakness of areas of the pelvic floor that only cause bladder or vaginal problems.

If you have gestational diabetes it doesn't mean your child will have diabetes. But your baby may need special attention after birth to make sure he doesn't have breathing difficulties, jaundice, low blood sugar levels, a calcium and magnesium deficiency, or too many red blood cells. In most cases, these problems are minor and can be treated.

Different digestive disorders may affect people in different ways. Bowel obstruction, appendicitis, cancer, bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are considered potentially fatal digestive conditions. Various other digestive disorders can also lead to death.

A doctor may perform a physical examination along with various diagnostic tests as part of a patient's routine check up or in response to a particular complaint to determine if the patient may suffer from a digestive disorder. It is important to schedule regular visits to your doctor and to alert the doctor if you believe that you may have a digestive disorder.

People often have common questions about the basics of manic depression. These are some of the most commonly asked questions — and their answers — about manic depression (also known as bipolar disorder):

Family members may want to express their concern by describing the specific behaviors to that person in a nonjudgmental fashion. The person with the disorder is less able to dismiss the observation if there is a consensus among friends or family members that a distinctive pattern has emerged. the work site, violations of safety codes or negligence may need to be reported to supervisors so that the person can receive a medical evaluation before injury or disability occurs.

Lack of a consistent routine and disrupted sleep can trigger a mood episode. Choosing work and leisure activities that allow proper sleep and rest is vital to healthy emotional functioning. Families can support good mental hygiene by going to bed and getting up at the same time each day.

If you are depressed during the shorter days of winter but feel happier and more energetic in spring and summer, you may have seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of depression that affects you at the same time each year, usually in the fall or winter. But as the days lengthen in spring and summer, the depression lifts.

Bipolar Disorder is a neurobiological brain disorder. It was formerly called manic-depression. Until about 10 -15 years ago, most doctors did not believe children could have Bipolar, and this is still an issue of some controversy. However, as more research is done and the information from that research is distributed, more and more doctors are becoming familiar with Pediatric Bipolar Disorder. Pediatric Bipolar is also known as EOBP (Early Onset Bipolar) and COBP (Childhood Onset Bipolar).

Bipolar Disorder is treated through the use of medications and environmental interventions. Medication is the first line of defense. Stress reduction is important, as is learning to recognize and manage symptoms appropriately, and therapy can at times be an asset. Each individual treatment won't work for everyone, so it's a process of trial and error to find what works for each person.

Once you have a diagnosis learning how to understand that side of you can be extremely challenging. A lot of people find themselves in a situation where they don’t want to tell their friends, because they want to be normal, don’t know how to talk to their parents or can’t talk to their parents and end up only discussing how they feel about having a disorder with their doctors. That can really lead to being more uncomfortable with the diagnosis.

Binge eating disorder is a condition in which you regularly eat large amounts of food within a couple of hours or less (a binge). You feel that you can't control the binges, and you feel unhappy about them afterward. Unlike bulimia, if you have binge eating disorder, you don't vomit or try other ways to get rid of calories after you binge. However, you might try to restrict your food intake between binges. Binge eating disorder is sometimes called compulsive overeating.

Experts are not sure what causes binge eating disorder. It might run in families (genetic link). Experts think cultural attitudes about body shape and weight also play a role in eating disorders.1 Anxiety, depression, or stress can trigger binging in some people.2

A doctor can diagnose binge eating disorder by doing a physical exam and asking questions about your medical history and eating habits. Your doctor also might ask you questions about your mental health and your attitudes toward food and the shape of your body.