One study published in the journal Bipolar Disorders involving more than 500 people found that those with bipolar (either type I or II) are more likely to be argumentative, feel hostile toward others, have hot tempers, and act out than those without the disorder, especially during a mood episode.
Research done in 2012 and 2014 discovered that there is a greater existence of aggression in people with bipolar disorder than in those without. According to researchers at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, the majority of people with bipolar disorder do experience rage and angry outbursts.
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.
The phrase “bipolar meltdown” could refer to a bipolar person having a manic episode or being in a depressed state. These conditions could cause them to lose control of their emotions and have trouble managing them.
Uncontrolled, intense, and unpredictable, the anger seems to begin without a trigger, such as a threat or frustration. People in the middle of bipolar anger can scream at and verbally abuse others just because they're there—and sometimes the person has no memory of doing so.
Don't take comments or behavior personally. During periods of high energy, a person often says and does things that he or she would not usually say or do. This can include focusing on negative aspects of others. If needed, stay away from the person and avoid arguments.
Grandiosity and overconfidence. Easy tearfulness, frequent sadness. Needing little sleep to feel rested. Uncharacteristic impulsive behavior.
Individuals with bipolar disorder may have a heightened sense of self-confidence and a reduced filter in their speech during manic episodes. This can cause them to speak harshly and say things they may not mean or fully consider the implications of.
Bipolar anger is a symptom not commonly associated with bipolar disorder. However, the hallmark dramatic mood swings of bipolar disorder frequently disrupt one's sleep, energy, thoughts, and decision-making. These symptoms can lead to increased irritability, which may progress to outbursts of rage or aggression.
With bipolar rage there does not necessarily need to be a trigger, it can show up without warning and is always absent of reason. It chooses chaos, it's not the individual choosing to lose control. If anything, control is something we're desperate to have and that desperation only makes our anger more chaotic.
Violence and aggression
Bipolar patients are prone to agitation that can result in impulsive aggression during manic and mixed episodes. However, depressed states can involve intense dysphoria with agitation and irritability, which can also increase the risk of violent behavior.
You can be physically aggressive. Kicking things, slamming doors, punching walls, pushing against someone a bit too hard.
Experts are careful to distinguish between the odd angry outburst and the long-simmering anger and rage of bipolar anger, sometimes lasting over several days during both manic episodes and irritated states of depression.
You may experience symptoms of depression, plus mania or hypomania at the same time. For example, you may feel very energised and impulsive, while feeling upset or tearful. Or you may feel very agitated or irritable. You may also experience highs and lows very quickly after the other, within the same day or hour.
It is not uncommon for someone with bipolar to start in a euphoric state but to eventually become dysphoric as the episode persists. This may occur as the individual becomes increasingly exhausted, yet cannot contain the ongoing excessive energy that disrupts sleep, relaxation, and replenishment of internal resources.
No two people with bipolar disorder share the same thoughts or experiences, but there are some common thought patterns among most folks who have it. This includes cyclical thinking, manic and/or depressive episodes, suicidal ideation, and psychosis.
Left untreated, bipolar disorder can result in serious problems that affect every area of your life, such as: Problems related to drug and alcohol use. Suicide or suicide attempts. Legal or financial problems.
While bipolar disorder and narcissistic personality disorder are two distinct mental health diagnoses, researchers have long noted a link between the two, including symptoms of setting excessively high goals and impulsivity. Other shared traits may include a lack of empathy, sleep deficiencies, and mood changes.
The first thing that may challenge a person with bipolar disorder to create relationships is self-stigma (or internalized stigma), leading to self-created isolation. Self-stigma is where a person internalizes the negative messages he or she receives about those with a mental condition.
Bipolar disorder can cause a lack of empathy, but symptoms may also make it more challenging to focus on the feelings of others. While there is no medication to improve empathy, treating bipolar disorder can help. Introspection, guided emotional learning, and observing emotions in others may also help build empathy.
Try to avoid becoming emotional or incorporating character judgments. Those with bipolar disorder may be highly excitable or prone to delusional thinking, and focusing on the facts can force them to consider their claims and identify problems with their narrative.
To Shift Accountability
Blaming others can give the person with bipolar a chance to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions and the problems that result. They might be overwhelmed with feelings of shame related to the consequences of their behavior during elevated or depressed moods.