Memory loss is a frustrating and overwhelming challenge for as many as 40 to 60 percent of people with bipolar disorder. That's according to a research article published in the August 2017 International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology .
What's more, many people with bipolar disorder report memory loss and or difficulty remembering things. These individuals may have trouble with short and long-term memory, struggle to think things through at a quick speed, and have difficulty thinking outside of the so-called box.
Studies report that some people with bipolar disorder have complained of memory impairment during high moods, low moods, and at times in between. As a person's mood shifts, they may report changes in their memory, too. As the mood becomes more extreme, memory problems can increase.
When a person is in a full-blown manic and psychotic episode, memory is greatly affected. In fact, it is rare for someone who is in a deep episode to remember all that happened. This is why it's called a blackout. The average person in this situation remembers maybe 50 percent, in my experience.
Living with bipolar disorder
A person with bipolar disorder may be unaware they're in the manic phase. After the episode is over, they may be shocked at their behaviour. But at the time, they may believe other people are being negative or unhelpful.
Additionally, the conditions might have similar symptoms. This is especially true of late-onset bipolar disorder, a less common diagnosis that can appear at a similar stage of life as dementia.
Yes, people with bipolar disorder think differently. But they can manage their thoughts and lead happy, healthy lives with effective treatment.
Patients with BD often have cognitive complaints as part of their psychiatric disorder but are at an increased risk of developing dementia, including FTD.
In a survey conducted by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, almost nine out of every 10 people with bipolar disorder said the illness had affected their job performance. More than half said they thought they had to change jobs or careers more often than others.
Anger and irritability are common symptoms of bipolar disorder. While anger is a normal response that many people feel at moments in their life, a person with bipolar disorder will be more vulnerable to impulsive and often irrational outbursts.
Racing thoughts are often one of the first symptoms to develop when someone with bipolar disorder is entering a hypomanic or manic episode. 4 It can be—but is not always—a debilitating experience. Some people describe it as having excessive thoughts that move quickly, but with a sense of fluidity and pleasantness.
Some people living with bipolar disorder may have difficulty completing tasks, including personal hygiene and chores. This could lead you to face cluttering, messiness, and disorganization during episodes of both mania or depression.
Author: Jasper James. It has long been said that those with bipolar disorder are more creative than average. Famous bipolar individuals of the past include Ernest Hemingway, Frank Sinatra, and Winston Churchill.
Looking back at what happened during a mood episode can stir powerful emotions. It's common to feel embarrassed, humiliated, ashamed, even worthless. There's often regret, sharpened by fear that you've alienated people in your life.
'” Psychiatrists and researchers are coming to appreciate that memory lapses and other neurocognitive problems—disorganization, groping for words, difficulty learning new information—can go hand in hand with the more obvious mood and behavioral symptoms that characterize bipolar.
Bipolar disorder can be confused with other conditions, such as depression, schizophrenia, BPD, anxiety, and ADHD. Detecting and diagnosing bipolar disorder may take some time. But getting a correct, early diagnosis often results in better outcomes.
In overall terms, the male bipolar patient face is laterally broad, lengthened anterio-posteriorly and the mouth is set posteriorly.
With severe bipolar disorder, you may have hallucinations, where you see or hear things that aren't there. You may also have delusions, where you firmly believe in something that just isn't true. This is when it's easy to confuse bipolar disorder for schizophrenia.
People with bipolar experience both episodes of severe depression and episodes of mania – overwhelming joy, excitement or happiness, huge energy, a reduced need for sleep, and reduced inhibitions. The experience of bipolar is uniquely personal. No two people have exactly the same experience.