Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Formerly called manic depression, bipolar disorder causes dramatic shifts in people’s moods, energy, and ability to think clearly. People with bipolar disorder will experience intense high’s and low’s between depression and mania, which are different from people’s regular mood shifts.

“If left untreated, bipolar disorder usually worsens. However, with a good treatment plan which can be psychotherapy, medications, a healthy lifestyle, a regular schedule and early identification of symptoms, many people live well with the condition.” (https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Bipolar-Disorder) 

With bipolar disorder, symptoms and severity can vary. Some people with bipolar disorder have more predominant depressive or manic episodes, while others go extended periods of time, sometimes years without having any symptoms.

Those living with severe episodes of mania or depression may also experience psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations. People who have bipolar disorder and experience psychotic symptoms may be wrongly diagnosed with schizophrenia. To be diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, you must have experienced an episode of mania or hypomania.

Hypomania (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21774-hypomania) -

Hypomania is a condition in which you have a period of abnormally elevated, extreme changes in your mood or emotions, energy level or activity level. This energized level of energy, mood and behavior must be a change from your usual self and be noticeable by others.

• Hypomania isn’t just a symptom with bipolar disorder, but can be associated with other mental health conditions as well.
  • Having an abnormally high level of activity or energy
  • Feeling extremely happy, excited
  • Not sleeping or only getting a few hours of sleep but still feel rested
  • Having an inflated self-esteem, thinking you’re invincible
  • Being more talkative than usual. Talking so much and so fast that others can’t interrupt
  • Having racing thoughts — having lots of thoughts on lots of topics at the same time (called a “flight of ideas”)
  • Being easily distracted by unimportant or unrelated things
  • Being obsessed with and completely absorbed in an activity you’re focused on
  • Displaying purposeless movements, such as pacing around your home or office or fidgeting when you’re sitting
  • Showing impulsive behavior that can lead to poor choices, such as buying sprees, reckless sex or foolish business investments

What Does Hypomania feel & look like? (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21774-hypomania) 

• Please note: hypomania will look and feel differently for every single person. These are some examples of thing you might feel and/or do in a hypomanic episode
  • Get into an intense cleaning frenzy and clean all surfaces of every room in your house
  • Stay up until 3 a.m. or don’t go to bed at all and not feel tired the next morning
  • Start a project, or more than one project, and work non-stop on these projects for 20 hours straight
  • Feel that you can’t fail at anything you want to do, even if you have no training or experience
  • Call and text all your friends all day and night and post a large number of pictures and comments on social media
  • Quickly jump from subject to subject when talking, and talking very fast

Mania

Mania is a condition in which you have a period of abnormally elevated, extreme changes in your mood or emotions, energy level or activity level. This highly energized level of physical and mental activity and behavior must be a change from your usual self and be noticeable by others. (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21603-mania) 

A manic episode is a period of time in which you experience one or more symptoms of mania and meet the criteria for manic episodes. In some cases, you may need to be hospitalized.

• Having an abnormally high level of activity or energy
• Feeling extremely happy or excited — even euphoric
• Not sleeping or only getting a few hours of sleep but still feeling rested
• Having an inflated self-esteem, thinking you’re invincible
• Being more talkative than usual. Talking so much and so fast that others can’t interrupt
• Having racing thoughts — having lots of thoughts on lots of topics at the same time (called a “flight of ideas”)
• Being easily distracted by unimportant or unrelated things
• Being obsessed with and completely absorbed in an activity
• Displaying purposeless movements, such as pacing around your home or office or fidgeting when you’re sitting
• Showing impulsive behavior that can lead to poor choices, such as buying sprees, reckless sex or foolish business investments

How long does a manic episode last?

If you’re not already receiving treatment, episodes of bipolar-related mania can last between three and six months. With effective treatment, a manic episode usually improves within about three months.

Depressive Episodes

The lows of bipolar disorder is depression, which is often so bad that people may be unable to get out of bed. People may also have trouble falling and staying asleep, while others sleep way more than usual. 

The depressive symptoms that obstruct a person’s ability to function must be present nearly every day for a period of at least two weeks for a diagnosis. Depression associated with bipolar disorder may be more difficult to treat and require a customized treatment plan.

Some common symptoms of depressive episodes include:

• Feel sad, worried, or empty
• Have little to no energy
• Feel like you can’t enjoy anything
• Sleep too little or too much
• Have a hard time getting out of bed
• Eat too little or too much
• Have trouble focusing or remembering things
• Have a hard time making decisions
• Think about suicide or death

You could have all of these symptoms or some of them. Someone with bipolar disorder can sometimes feel very sad but also full of energy. The surest sign of a phase of depression is that you feel down for a long time- usually at least 2 weeks. You might have these episodes rarely or several times a year.