Bipolar Disorder Symptoms
A bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) is manifested by serious swings in mood, energy, thinking and even overall behaviour – from the highs of mania on one extreme, to the lows of depression on the other. However, a manic-depressive person experiences more than just a passing good or bad mood, the ups and downs of a bipolar disorder can last for days, weeks or even months at a time. Unlike the mood swings in a normal person, the mood swings of someone with bipolar symptoms are so severe that they can interfere with a person’s ability to function. What causes a bipolar disorder is not fully understood, but it has been shown to run in some families. Usually, the first signs of the condition occur in the teen-age years or in early adulthood. The symptoms can be subtle and sometimes confusing and may be difficult to diagnose. Many people who suffer from bipolar symptoms are often overlooked or misdiagnosed.
A manic-depressive person when experiencing a “high” might impulsively quit a job, go on a spending spree, running up huge bills on his charge account. He may feel on top of the world after only a few hours of sleep. On the other extreme, during a depression spell, the same person might be very self-deprecating, experience grave feelings of hopelessness and feel too tired out with almost no energy to even get himself out of bed. When untreated, the bipolar symptoms can only worsen; therefore, it is important to recognize what the symptoms look like. Recognizing the problem is the first step to getting it under control. Some people are more prone to have bouts of either mania or depression, while others may alternate equally between these two types of moods. Some bipolar symptoms patients may have frequent mood disruptions, while others may experience only a few episodes over a lifetime.
The signs of bipolar disorder can look very different from patient to patient. The symptoms may differ widely in their pattern, severity and frequency. There are four types of mood episodes that can be exhibited by someone with a bipolar disorder: mania, hypomania, depression and mixed episodes. Each type of mood episode has a its own unique set of symptoms.
The more common signs of bipolar symptoms mania include:
• Feeling unusually “high” and optimistic or being extremely irritable – the person may feel overly optimistic about situations that a normal person may be cautious about. The smallest incident can cause full-blown outbursts;
• Acting recklessly without thinking about the consequences – caution is thrown to the winds. Things will take care of themselves. Consequences of actions taken are not considered like quitting a job without a thought to the family survival;
• Exhibiting Impaired judgment and impulsiveness – no effort is given to weighing the pros and the cons of a given situation;
• Having racing thoughts; jumping quickly from one idea to the next;
• Talking so rapidly that others cannot keep up;
• Sleeping very little, but feeling extremely energetic;
• Having unrealistic, grandiose beliefs about one’s abilities or powers – the other extreme of very low self esteem;
• Delusions and hallucinations (in severe cases);
• Being highly distracted, unable to concentrate – work or studies suffer.
The more common bipolar symptoms of depression include:
• Feelings of hopelessness, sadness, emptiness or irritability;
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt – this can be real or imagined but are very intense and very real for the patient;
• Sleep problems or inability to sleep;
• Inability to experience pleasure – everything that happens are seen in a negative light;
• Fatigue or loss of energy – too tired to do anything;
• Physical and mental sluggishness;
• Changes in appetite or weight – may tend to eat too much or not at all;
• Concentration and memory problems – studies may suffer or the quality of work output in the office may be below par;
• Thoughts of death or suicide
The third kind of Bipolar disorder, the mixed episode, will manifest bipolar symptoms of both mania and depression almost simultaneously. The person may be depressed, agitated, anxious and irritable practically at the same time. He may also be distracted and be unable to sleep. This combination of high energy and low mood can make the person a particularly high risk for committing suicide.
The depressive phase of in a person with bipolar symptoms is often very severe and committing suicide becomes a major risk factor. It has been observed that people who suffer from bipolar symptoms are more likely to attempt suicide than those who experience only regular depression. Furthermore, their suicide attempts tend to be more successful and lethal.
The risk of suicide becomes even higher when the patient with bipolar symptoms has frequent depressive episodes or mixed episodes. The risks considerably become more exacerbated if the person has a history of alcohol or drug abuse or when there are other members of the family who have committed suicide. The condition can be more sever with an early onset of the disease.
Since bipolar disorder is a chronic, relapsing illness, it will require long-term treatment. It will also be important to continue undergoing treatment even when the person thinks he is already feeling better. Most people who suffer from bipolar symptoms need to continue taking their medication to prevent new episodes from happening and to stay symptom-free. However, medication alone is usually not enough to fully control the symptoms of bipolar disorder. It has been found that the most effective treatment strategy for people with bipolar symptoms involves a combination of medication, therapy, lifestyle changes and social support. It will not be easy dealing with someone suffering from bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a complex condition. It is always best to work with an experienced psychiatrist.
Nevertheless, even with one, diagnosis of the bipolar symptoms can be tricky and treatment is often difficult. A psychiatrist who is skilled in bipolar symptoms disorder treatment can help you navigate these twists and turns. However, for safety reasons, the medication for bipolar symptoms should be closely monitored, as there can be a tendency for the medicines to be abused during periods of irrationality. An overdose can lead to suicide.