Bipolar Symptoms
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that affects a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior and bipolar symptoms are revealed through the mood patterns of the sufferer. This disease is usually characterized by severe mood swings where the sufferer alternates up and down. The up moods are known as mania and the down moods are known as depression. These swings are why bipolar was formerly called manic-depression.
There are many bipolar symptoms that can be present in the manic phase of the illness. Most common symptoms include excessive energy, racing thoughts, and rapid speech. The person tends to feel euphoric - like he’s on top of the world. Often, a bipolar sufferer in the manic phase will have a decreased need for sleep and sometimes will go for days without sleeping. The person could also be easily distracted, irritable, and more aggressive than normal during a manic episode. Occasionally, a manic episode will be marked by a sustained period of unusual behavior - not necessarily bad but different from the person’s usual behavior. For instance, they may stop performing daily grooming and bathing or may become obsessed with something. Extremes of bipolar symptoms in the manic phase can be an unusual increase in the sex drive and extremely poor judgment, which can lead to them engaging in uncharacteristically risky behavior. It is quite common for those in a manic episode to abuse drugs, alcohol, or a mix of both.
Bipolar symptoms at the other end of the spectrum include having a persistent sad or anxious mood. Usually, there will be a marked loss of interest in things that they normally enjoyed, including hobbies and even sexual activity. Quite commonly, those suffering from bipolar symptoms in the depressive category will have sleep difficulties. They may sleep too little or too much and often will get up in the night or extremely early in the morning. This contributes to the often experienced feelings of fatigue and loss of energy. Often, there can be a weight gain or loss as the person either experiences a reduced or intensified appetite while in a depressive state
Worsening bipolar symptoms while in a depressive state can show in persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, like complaints of chronic pain. Quite often, the sufferer will feel guilty over things that they cannot control and feel hopeless or worthless. Thoughts like this can escalate until the person begins to have persistent thoughts of death and can exhibit suicidal ideation.
While bipolar symptoms are separately found in other mental disorders, when taken together and in a distinct pattern they can point to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. If you see yourself or a loved one exhibit these types of mood patterns, you should consult a mental health professional. Don’t ignore bipolar symptoms if you see them, as the suicide rate for those diagnosed with bipolar disorder is about 20 times that of the average. This can be prevented with proper treatment, often including a combination of medication and therapy.