Bipolar disorder is a very common yet misunderstood mental health condition. There are also different forms of the condition as well. However, the most common bipolar type presents itself through periods of serious depression as well as mania. Bipolar condition is treatable with medication and therapy and those who are treated for it properly can live stable and productive lives.
What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder? There are 11 of them that you need to know about according to psychologists.
You Are Extremely Confident
When you are in a manic state, you feel as if you can take on the world. You are not naturally confident such as believing yourself that you will succeed in something. You are unrealistically confident. You think you could become the president or prime minister of a country and you will even do drastic things such as going to the airport and intending to fly to the White House or the House of Commons.
Impulsive Behavior
In a manic state, you are extremely impulsive. You will overspend, overeat, and you will take unnecessary risks. There is no thinking before acting when you are displaying this symptom. This would mean you would not hesitate to go skydiving even without learning how to do so first.
Changes In Appetite
When you are in the depression phase, you will either not eat or eat too much. This will also reflect in weight changes. After a manic episode, what can happen is the sufferer would isolate themselves and eat a tub of ice cream, for example, for self-comfort or just isolate themselves and not come into the kitchen to eat anything.
Extreme Restlessness
Another sign of being in a manic state is that you are quite restless and easily agitated. You behave as if you had several potent caffeinated cups of coffee to drink. You cannot sit still and you need to move around and you fidget as well often.
Inability to Complete Tasks
This is the hallmark of bipolar symptoms. Often people in this phase jump from task to task. They keep planning big things, unrealistic goals or projects on their minds. They are distracted and may try to do many things at one time but will not be able to finish them.
Prolonged Feelings Of Sadness
Before you were flying over the Moon with the manic episode but now in the depressive episode you are feeling nothing but sadness and grief. No matter what you do, you cannot be happy. Nothing makes you happy and you also have a loss of interest in anything that once made you happy.
Racing Thoughts
One of the reasons that you also cannot sit still or sleep in a manic state is that you have racing thoughts. You can’t stop these thoughts as everything in your mind is in overdrive and your body is working in overdrive. You may even speak quite quickly as well. You don’t do anything slowly when you are in a manic state.
Withdrawing From Family And Friends
One of the signs of bipolar disorder is withdrawing from family and friends which is when the condition displays the other end of the spectrum which is depression. Isolating oneself is a common symptom and if this happens after bouts of mania, then this is a strong sign right there.
Less Need For Sleep
When you are in a manic state, you will have less of a need for sleep. You find a way to function on 3 to 4 hours of sleep a night. And somehow you do function, and you are more energetic than ever. The fact that you don’t need enough sleep and you find the energy to live your life is concerning.
Thoughts Of Suicide
Unfortunately, suicide ideation is common during depressive episodes. And there is a preoccupation with death as well. If you see anyone who is behaving this way and talking about death, then they need help, immediately. If you are the one who is feeling this way, call your doctor right away.
Mood Swings
After feeling as if you are the King or Queen of the world and believing you can accomplish anything, you take a strong 180 turn and believe there is no hope for anything. You feel hopeless as if nothing will ever get better.
Bipolar disorder is a complex disorder that involves episodes of mania and depression and nothing in between. The condition can be treated with medication and therapy, and as long as the patient cooperates with taking it, then they can live decent and productive lives.
