Everyone experiences emotional ups and downs, but bipolar disorder is far more serious than simply having mood swings due to normal life circumstances. A person with bipolar disorder can experience significant difficulties at work, in their studies, and in their personal relationships, even with their own family. Daily life is anything but 'normal,' and understanding the symptoms can be challenging.
Bipolar disorder is treatable, but there are people who don't recognize the warning signs of the disorder and don't get the help they need. Their life may be thrown into chaos until they finally admit that they have a problem and need help.
Bipolar disorder, if not treated correctly, will tend to worsen and it is necessary to learn to recognize the symptoms in time. Recognizing the problem will be the first step to feeling better and beginning to improve the quality of life both with oneself and with others.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression or manic-depressive disorder) causes significant and severe swings in mood, energy, thinking, and behavior. It can range from very high levels of mania to very low levels of depression. These are two completely opposite poles that can reach extremely severe peaks for the affected individual.
These cycles or mood swings can last for days, weeks, or months. They are very intense mood changes and directly interfere with the ability to lead a 'normal' life. When a person has a manic episode, they may quit their job, spend a lot of money, embark on a pointless adventure, or barely sleep. In contrast, during a depressive episode, the person will not even want to get out of bed, will despise themselves and everyone around them, and will feel hopeless about life's circumstances, whatever they may be.
The causes of bipolar disorder are unknown, but it is suspected to have a hereditary component. It typically first appears during adolescence or early adulthood. Initially, the symptoms are subtle and even confusing, so they are not always correctly diagnosed, which can cause unnecessary suffering for a long time. Once the disorder is diagnosed , with the right treatment and support, the person can lead a much more normalized life and even feel fulfilled in all aspects of their life.
Understanding the symptoms of bipolar disorder
The symptoms of bipolar disorder, as you may have deduced above, are characterized by a cycle of mood swings between extreme elation (mania) and profound sadness and hopelessness (depression). These symptoms appear in cycles of varying duration.
When at high levels, a person with bipolar symptoms may feel as if they are “on top of the world,” able to accomplish anything they set their mind to, wanting to do a dozen things at once (without finishing any of them). of them). Sometimes high mood can also manifest with more irritation.
In the early stages, the symptoms of bipolar disorder can be masked and not appear to be a mental illness. For example, a person may use drugs or begin having problems at work, and those around them (and the person themselves) may not associate these behaviors with bipolar disorder. Bipolar symptoms generally do not come and go quickly; they are persistent and significantly affect a person's life.
Sometimes it can be misdiagnosed and appear to be depression when it is not because the person may experience hypomanic episodes instead of manic episodes. When bipolar disorder occurs in children it is different, in fact it is known as: disruptive mood disorder.
Treatment usually consists of a combination of psychiatric medications and psychotherapy, and some form of treatment is generally needed for most of a person's adult life.
The most frequent symptoms
Bipolar disorder has two phases: manic and depressive. It's necessary to recognize both phases to determine if it's truly this type of mental disorder. During a manic or hypomanic phase, the person with this disorder:
- Magnifies self and has a greater sense of self-importance
- Has an exaggerated positive perspective on things
- You hardly need to sleep
- Loses weight and is not hungry
- has many ideas
- Has impulsiveness
- Ideas that move quickly from one to another
- Poor concentration
- Easily distracted
- Has more physical and mental activity
- Excessive participation in pleasurable activities
- Bad decisions
- compulsive spending
- excessive irritability
- Aggressive behavior
During the depressive phase, a person with bipolar disorder will experience the opposite of what they experienced during the manic phase. In this depressive phase, bipolar symptoms include:
- Sadness feelings
- feelings of hopelessness
- Difficulty to sleep
- Getting up too early
- Loss of energy
- Lethargic attitude
- Low self-esteem
- Constant feeling of guilt
- Poor concentration
- Negative and even catastrophic thoughts
- Weight gain or loss
- Talk about suicide or death
To determine if a person has bipolar disorder, a professional will conduct an interview with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health specialist. As with all mental disorders, there are currently no blood tests or other biological tests that can be used to diagnose bipolar disorder.
An early symptom of bipolar disorder can be hypomania, an emotional state in which the person exhibits high energy, moodiness or excessive irritability, and impulsive or reckless behavior for at least four consecutive days. As with almost all diagnoses of mental disorders, the symptoms of manic depression must cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Bipolar symptoms also cannot be the result of substance use or abuse; rather, substance abuse is often a consequence of the mental disorder.
If you have any doubts, it will be necessary to go to a mental health professional to rule out or diagnose said disorder.