Your brother takes some time off to visit the hill station. But when he comes back you notice that he’s not interested in any activity and shuts himself away from the world.
Do you ever think about this sudden shift from activeness to disengagement in his behavior? His voluntary actions followed by inactivity could be a sign of a mental health condition known as bipolar disorder.
Learn more about what bipolar disorder looks like, what a person feels, and how bipolar disorder affects daily life.
What is Bipolar Disorder
BD is a group of mental health disorders that impacts your mood, emotions, energy, and ability to function. The main characteristics are mood episodes with intense emotional states that last for days or weeks. Two primary mood episodes are:
- Manic episodes: Happy or irritable mood, high spirits, abundance of energy
- Depressive episodes: Low or sad mood, low spirits, significant lack of energy, hopelessness
Types of Bipolar Disorder
There are seven types of bipolar syndrome but the most common are:
During the Bipolar 1
- You experience extreme mood swings
- Being a most severe form of bipolar (having episodes of mania) it can seriously affect your mental health.
If you are living with bipolar 2 you will experience both of the following:
- One depressive episode
- Hypomania symptoms that last for a minimum of 4 days.
Cyclothymia (sy-kloe-THIE-me-uh):
- Also known as cyclothymic disorder, is a rare mood disorder.
- It causes emotional ups and downs, but not extreme levels.
How Do Bipolar People Act?
What are those signs that indicate someone is experiencing a manic episode:
- Feeling joyful, high, or “up”
- Feeling extreme irritation
- Lack of sleep for several days without getting tired
- Changes in taste or appetite
- Jumping quickly between thoughts
- Risky behavior and poor judgment, i.e spending extra money, drinking excessively, or risky sexual behavior
- “Grandiose” ideas: feeling exceptionally talented, dominant or important
People who experience one or more depressive episodes may have symptoms. See examples of bipolar behavior:
- Feeling hopeless, sad, or worried most of the day or every day
- Taking a long time to complete daily tasks
- No interest or pleasure in things they typically enjoy
- Major changes in sleep habits
- Changes in appetite: eating more or less than routine
- Speaking slowly as they are having a hard time getting the words out of their mouth
- Poor concentration
- Suicidal thoughts
There is a possibility that a person may experience mixed features of mania and depression.
Note: Pregnancy can provoke the first episodes of manic depressive illness in women who are of childbearing age.
Bipolar Disorder in Children
A penny for your thoughts, symptoms of manic depression in children don’t quite match up with symptoms in adults. It includes:
- Periods of unease
- Violence
- Frustration
- Trouble in concentration
- Hyperactivity (refers to constant activity, being easily distracted, impulsiveness, etc)
- Alterations in sleep patterns
A Day in the Life of a Person Living with Bipolar Disorder
Beware! If the victim of any Bipolar disorder doesn’t get treatment, it will affect their functional abilities. Talking about the day of someone with bipolar illness may look very limited. It’s so when the person doesn’t receive any medical help for their condition. It can affect your ability to:
- Maintain employment
- Stay in school
- Build healthy relationships
- Participate in meaningful activities, etc
The depressive episodes you experience can be debilitating. Symptoms include: you may feel impossible to get out of your bed or interact with others.
Despite having a cyclical nature, bipolar disorder can often feel like a depressive episode that will never end.
While manic episodes (mild, moderate, or severe) are often unbearable. Anyone with bipolar disorder often uses manic episodes to make up for the “lost time” of a depressive episode. Making so many plans, to make themselves a busy bee.
In addition to this, do you know?
Someone during manic episodes is more likely to participate in risky behavior i.e. substance abuse or dangerous driving.
Let’s explore what it feels like to be bipolar. Just like different strokes for different folks, the condition can vary from person to person
As estimated by WHO, around 40 million people live with bipolar disorder globally. The most important thing to understand is that manic depressive illness tends to present.
The symptoms may appear over days, weeks, or even longer not like a light switch of emotions.
According to a survey report: adults between the ages of 18 and 60 with bipolar I disorder, (81%) agreed that they felt like nobody understood what they were going through.
Therefore you have to identify the different types of bipolar disorder, either in yourself or a loved one.
Some episodes of mania or depression may last for a day or two while others may stretch on a week or longer. To get to the heart of the matter and understand BD, you need to understand the signs.
However, after having treatment for bipolar disorder, the affected person can live a normal life. They will be able to attend office, have strong relationships, and enjoy life.
Yeah; it’s possible that sometimes they may feel more “up” or “down” than others. The good thing is that they can learn to manage their bipolar disorder and get back to their daily life routine.
Treatment Challenges
A report shows the data on mental illness among US adults: 2.8% are victims of Bipolar Disorder. Medical professionals treat bipolar disorder with a combined treatment using medications and therapy.
Since many people miss the euphoria and energy of manic episodes, successful treatment can feel like an uphill battle:
- Productive or creative people view their elevated mood states as their best selves.
- Some people even trigger a manic episode intentionally.
- They skip getting the needed sleep to initiate an elevated mood state. (For instance: they do so to complete a project)
- Bipolar II patients may not fully respond to medications often used for treatment.
- The person feels ashamed and embarrassed to get help
Risk Factors for Bipolar Disorder
Would you like to be informed about risk factors? These factors can increase the risk of developing the condition or may activate the 1st episode of bipolar condition.
- Misuse or abuse of drugs or alcohol
- Having an immediate family member, such as a parent or sibling, with bipolar disorder
- Overwhelming life events coupled with hidden genes for bipolar disorder
- Less need for sleep
Strategies to Lessen Disruptions Due to Bipolar Disorder
Healing doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s important to worry about your or anyone else’s mania and depressive episodes due to the effects. The more you learn about the condition, the easier it’ll be to cope with as BD can be a lifelong struggle.
- Get practical assistance to reduce their stress level. You must be aware that stress can trigger episodes. So keep emotions under control.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol because they change the chemicals in the brain. Ultimately, it will make symptoms worse and more likely to return.
- Identify a pattern of your bipolar episodes and triggers by watching early warning signs. In this way, you can prevent episodes from getting worse.
- Share warning signs with the medical team or loved ones. They will better support you.
- Develop a specific plan and ask them to identify the behaviors signaling mania and help you prevent it from reaching the highest level.
- Engage in a sense of purpose by evaluating your values and beliefs. You should identify what is important and then set goals according to it.
- Find a creative outlet or physical activity to recharge yourself like Yoga or meditation. We recommend keeping a journal to record your feelings and mood.
- Maintain a consistent, scheduled sleep pattern with the same sleep-wake schedule. It’s because sleep disturbance is a symptom of BD.
- Take 7-9 hours of sleep per night
- Take your medications exactly as prescribed. If you don’t, it will lead to negative consequences.
- Must check with your doctor before taking over-the-counter supplements
- Hear other people’s experiences and connect with those who are in the same boat to feel normal
- Work with this mental illness instead of against it. Accept the disorder and be positive about your recovery.
Note: Don’t stop or change your medicine dose on your own. Doing this will cause withdrawal effects, or your symptoms may worsen or return in the future.
Conclusion
Bipolar disorder is not a condition but a mental illness that can have a great impact on the affected person. You have to learn the symptoms of the ailment to manage them better.
Go for treatments like antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, exercise, and nutrition at the reputed metal wellness clinic like NeuroGlow in Texas, because they can work wonders in helping to control signs.
If you are a sufferer or living with someone with bipolar then consult with your doctor and discuss a treatment plan.
FAQs
Who is at Risk of Bipolar Disorder?
Around 5.7 million adult Americans have bipolar illness. It affects both genders equally. But rapid cycling cases are seen more often in women.
What Causes Bipolar Disorder?
Factors that contribute to a diagnosis are: changes in brain structure and functioning, genetics, and coexisting mental health issues.
How Bipolar Disorder Is Diagnosed and Treated?
For diagnosis, a medical expert may perform a physical exam and ask questions. They will assess symptoms, patterns in symptoms, and their severity to determine the bipolar type.
How a Bipolar Person Thinks?
Commonly, thinking patterns of bipolar persons include rapid thinking, rumination, black-and-white thinking, and suicidal thoughts.
How Many Days Should I Suffer with Bipolar?
If you suffer from bipolar, it can last a week or two, or sometimes longer.
References
who.int
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/bipolar-disorder
pmc
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6116765/
pubmed
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8480816/
UHC
https://www.uhc.com/news-articles/healthy-living/6-important-facts-to-know-about-bipolar-disorder
nimh.nih.gov
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2023/the-ups-and-downs-of-bipolar-disorder
SAMHSA
https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/what-is-mental-health/conditions/bipolar
When standard treatment isn’t enough: NeuroGlow offers Spravato (esketamine) and IV ketamine therapy for depression, anxiety and PTSD across Dallas–Fort Worth. Book a consultation or call 469-218-4410.
