What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric illness that causes extreme mood fluctuations. One of the signs is mania or an abnormally high mood. They may also be accompanied by depressed episodes. Manic depression or bipolar sickness are two terms used to describe the bipolar disorder.

Patients with bipolar disorder may struggle to complete daily duties at school or work, as well as maintain relationships. Despite the lack of a cure, there are a number of therapeutic options available to manage the symptoms. Learn how to spot the indications of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder: The Facts

Bipolar disorder is a common mental ailment. In actuality, 2.8 percent of adults in the United States, or around 5 million people, have been diagnosed with it. When people are 25 years old, they frequently start to display symptoms of bipolar illness.

Bipolar disorder causes depression that lasts at least two weeks. A manic (high) episode might linger for days or weeks. Some people will have mood swings several times a year, while others will only have them once or twice a year. For some people, having bipolar disorder feels like this.

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

Bipolar illness is characterized by three core symptoms: mania, hypomania, and depression. While suffering from mania, a person with bipolar disorder may experience an emotional high. They can be euphoric, rash, exuberant, and vivacious. During manic episodes, they may also conduct erratically, such as:

• sprees of spending
• sex that isn’t protected
• Usage of drugs

Hypomania is frequently associated with bipolar II disorder. It’s similar to mania but not as severe. Unlike mania, hypomania is less likely to cause issues at work, school, or in social settings. People who suffer from hypomania, on the other hand, are aware of mood swings.

During a depressed episode, you may experience the following symptoms:

• deep regret
• despondency
• loss of energy and interest in activities they used to enjoy periods of little or excessive sleep suicidal thoughts

Despite being a common diagnosis, bipolar illness can be difficult to diagnose due to its wide variety of symptoms. Learn about the signs and symptoms that frequently occur during high and low times.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Women

Bipolar disorder affects males and women in roughly equal numbers. The basic symptoms of the illness, however, may differ between men and women. A woman with bipolar illness is more likely to:

• be diagnosed much later in life, in her 20s or 30s
• have milder mania occurrences
• have more depressive episodes than manic episodes
• experience four or more episodes of mania and depression in a year, a condition known as rapid cycling.
• have a tremendous lifetime risk of alcohol use disorder
• having other diseases at the same time, such as thyroid disease, obesity, anxiety disorders, and migraines

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Men

The bipolar disorder attacks both men and women in the same way. Men, on the other hand, may have diverse symptoms than women. Men with bipolar disorder may:

• be diagnosed quicker in life
• have more severe occurrences, particularly manic episodes
• be diagnosed earlier in life

During manic periods, people with substance addiction disorders may act out.

Bipolar men are less likely than bipolar women to seek medical help on their own. They’re also more prone to take their own lives.

Bipolar disorder reveals itself in a variety of ways.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

There are three forms of bipolar disorder: bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymia.

Bipolar I

For bipolar I to be diagnosed, there must be at least one manic episode. Hypomanic or major depressed occurrences may occur before or after the manic period. This type of bipolar illness attacks both males and women.

Bipolar II

Bipolar II is a kind of bipolar disorder in which a person has at least one two-week major depressive episode. In addition, they have at least one four-day hypomanic episode. This sort of bipolar disorder is thought to be more prevalent in women.

Cyclothymia

Symptoms of cyclothymia include hypomania and depression. These symptoms are milder and less severe than those associated with mania and depression in bipolar I and bipolar II disorders. The bulk of persons who undergo this illness have stable moods for only a month or two at a time.

When you share your diagnosis with your doctor, he or she will be able to inform you what sort of bipolar illness you have. Meanwhile, familiarize yourself with the many types of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder in Children

The diagnosis of bipolar disease in children and adolescents is still controversial. This is because the symptoms of bipolar disease in children and adults are rarely the same. Their moods and behaviors may differ from what doctors look for in adults when diagnosing the disorder.

Many of the manifestations of bipolar disorder in children are similar to those of other disorders that can influence children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In recent decades, doctors and mental health specialists have begun to recognize the disorder in children.

A diagnosis can help children seek therapy, but it can take weeks or months to get a diagnosis. Your child may require specialized treatment from a professional who is experienced in treating children with mental health difficulties.

Children are affected by bipolar illness in the same way that adults are. They may appear to be joyful and agitated. Depression sets in after these intervals. Mood fluctuations occur in all children, although those caused by bipolar illness are more noticeable. They’re also more dramatic than a standard mood swing in a toddler.

Symptoms of Manic Depression in Children

Symptoms of a bipolar disorder-induced manic episode in a child include:

• acting erratically and ecstatically pleased, speaking quickly and shifting topics
• having difficulty concentrating or focusing on dangerous activities or experimenting with risky habits
• having a short fuse and a proclivity for erupting in rage
• having difficulty sleeping and not feeling fatigued after a period of sleep deprivation

Depressive Symptoms in Children

Symptoms of a depressive episode in a child with the bipolar illness include:

• wallowing in self-pity or acting depressed
• Sleeping insufficiently or excessively
• having little energy for daily activities or displaying no interest in anything
• grumbling about not feeling well, such as frequent headaches or stomachaches
• feeling useless or guilty
• eating too little or too much
• contemplating death and maybe suicide

Other Possibilities for a Diagnosis

Some of your child’s behavior problems could be the result of something else. Children with bipolar disorder can develop ADHD and other behavioral issues. Work with your child’s doctor to document any strange behaviors so that a diagnosis can be made.

Obtaining an accurate diagnosis can assist your kid’s doctor in determining therapies that will enable your child to live a healthy life. More information on bipolar disorder in children can be found here.

Teens with Bipolar Disorder

Anxiety is nothing new to the average parent of a teenager. Hormonal changes, as well as the life upheavals that come with puberty, can make even the most well-behaved adolescent sad or overly emotional. On the other side, certain adolescent mood swings could be the result of a more serious illness, such as bipolar disorder.

Late youth and early adulthood are the most common times for bipolar disorder to be diagnosed. Some of the most popular indicators of a manic episode in teenagers are listed below.:

• being rapturous about “acting out” or misbehaving
• engaging in risky activities
• substance abusers
• Having difficulties sleeping but not displaying indications of weariness or being exhausted
• having a very quick temper
• having trouble remaining concentrated or being easily distracted

The following are some of the more prevalent signs of a depressing episode in teenagers:

• Sleeping too much or too little
• eating too much or too little
• feeling unhappy and irritable
• retreating from hobbies and people
• contemplating death and suicide

Depression and Bipolar Disorder

Downs and ups are two extremes of bipolar disorder. A phase of mania or hypomania is required to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder. During this stage of the disease, people generally feel “up.” You may feel invigorated and easily excited while you’re experiencing an “up” swing in the mood.

A major depressive episode, commonly known as a “down” mood, is experienced by some people with bipolar disorder. You may feel tired, unmotivated, and depressed if you’re going through a “down” mood change. However, not all patients with bipolar disorder who have this symptom are considered depressed. For example, some people may experience depression after their mania has been treated because they loved the “high” created by the manic episode.

The bipolar disorder might make you feel low, but it isn’t the same as depression. The bipolar disease can cause highs and lows, but depression results in constant “down” moods and emotions. Learn how to distinguish between bipolar illness and depression.