An Overview of Bipolar Disorder and Symptoms

What is bipolar disorder?

Many have heard of this term used in reference to a mental health condition that is as widespread as it is misunderstood. So, what is it? What are its defining characteristics? This article will help shed light on just what bipolar disorder is and what those suffering from this mental disorder experience with regard to its symptoms.

Bipolar disorders

            Bipolar disorder used to be known by another name. This disorder was once called manic depression. It is from this former title we are actually able to glean an initial understanding of just what this disorder is all about. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness primarily characterized by severe fluctuations in mood, from manic highs to intense depressions.

Manic Periods

            What is a manic high? The manics that those suffering from bipolar disorder experience are identified by periods of intense elation, excitement, and rash behaviours. During a manic period, those with bipolar disorder may be overly self-confident with a disproportionate sense of self importance and ability. This may lead to erratic and eccentric thinking and impulsive behaviour. A severe manic period may even include delusions (a firm belief in an idea or notion that is clearly false), or hallucinations (experiencing the perception of seeing and hearing things that aren’t actually present).

Depressive Periods

            The depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder are quite different. If you imagine two (bi) opposing poles (polar), you have a better grasp of why this disorder is so named. While the manic periods are one extreme of the symptom spectrum, depression is the other extreme. Those that have experienced clinical depression may be familiar with these symptoms, as they are very similar. Let’s review the characterizing symptoms of depression. Depression as experienced by those with bipolar disorder is distinguished by periods of severe sadness, feelings of hopelessness, feelings of worthlessness, fatigue and a loss of interest in daily activity.

So, as aforementioned, the two defining characteristics of bipolar disorder are periods of manic highs followed by depressive states. It is important to distinguish that one suffering from this disorder does not necessarily function only within the realms of these two extremes. In fact, there are many periods of time in which someone with bipolar disorder feels fairly neutral and much like themselves. But it is the severe fluctuation and changes in mood that are noticeable and disruptive to an individual’s life that may qualify them to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Symptoms

            The symptoms of manic and depressive periods present with bipolar disorder were briefly outlined above but let’s take a more in depth look at these symptoms.

Manic periods are characterized by:

●     feelings of happiness, joy and euphoria

●     absent-mindedness

●     irritability

●     easily agitated

●     inflated sense of self

●     disinterest in sleep

●     carelessness

●     rapid speech

●     eccentric mannerisms

●     increased spending

●     poor impulse control

●     increased sex drive

●     delusional thinking

●     hallucinations

Depressive periods are characterized by:

●     sadness

●     hopelessness

●     irritability

●     poor concentration

●     fluctuations in appetite

●     fluctuations in sleeping patterns

●     decreased sex drive

●     loss of interest in usual activities

●     chronic pain

●     suicidal thoughts or behaviours

            While the main symptoms of bipolar disorder remain the same, there are also several different categorizations of the disorder. They include:

Bipolar I Disorder - The most severe, with manic periods and depressions resulting in a large disruption to one’s life and daily activities sometimes leading to hospitalization.

Bipolar II Disorder – Bipolar II disorder is a less severe form of the disorder with depressions lasting longer than the manic periods but both being less acute in nature than the highs and lows experiences by someone with Bipolar I Disorder.

Cyclothymic Disorder – It is the mildest form of bipolar disorder. Those with cyclothymic disorder experience depressive symptoms that are not overly severe in nature and their manic periods are actually categorized as hypomania, as they do not have the full blown symptoms or intensity of true manic episodes.

Rapid-cycling Bipolar Disorder – This form refers to a very serious form of the disorder. It is characterized by 4 or more periods of severe manic and depression in quick succession, within the time frame of one year.

            This overview of bipolar disorder should  help everyone to highlight a basic understanding of the definition of this mental illness and its symptoms. In case you need any help to understand what it is all about leave a comment here and I'll get back to you.