They may be feeling overwhelmed, guarded, or paranoid. These feelings can hit those with bipolar like a ton of bricks. When they're in the throes of these emotions, they may unintentionally shut others out as they try to navigate what's happening on their own.
Those of us living with bipolar disorder definitely have a problem with ghosting people. It doesn't matter whether it's someone we're dating or friends with. Unfortunately, sometimes we're even ghosting our family members.
People may receive harassment or judgment, which can lead to poor self-esteem. Lower self-esteem may lead them to avoid interacting with others and push a partner away. This can make the partner socially isolated as the partner with bipolar disorder is unwilling to spend time with their friends or family.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that can result in extreme shifts in mood. As this may affect how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, it may present challenges that can make it difficult to maintain friendships. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that can severely disrupt a person's life.
The known maladaptive types of coping mechanisms, or negative coping skills, evident in BD patients are “… rumination, catastrophism, self-blame, substance use, risk-taking, behavioral disengagement, problem-direct coping, venting of emotions, or mental disengagement” (Apaydin & Atagun, 2018).
As with many emotions, however, people with bipolar disorder appear to be more vulnerable to extreme reactions. “Everyone can become frustrated or angry, but loss of control can be part and parcel of bipolar disorder rage,” says Jeffrey Borenstein, MD, president and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.
One of the hallmark signs of mania is impaired judgment. This causes you to participate in extremely risky or dangerous behaviors. You do things without even considering the consequences of your actions. Gambling and hypersexuality are some of the risky behaviors linked to manic episodes.
Control is a subtle art, and often controlling people have been practicing it for decades. A portion of the bipolar population becomes “controlling.” This at first can show up as a talkative and outgoing, but soon suggestions and discussions become manipulative.
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.
Bipolar disorder can cause your mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. Manic symptoms can include increased energy, excitement, impulsive behaviour, and agitation. Depressive symptoms can include lack of energy, feeling worthless, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.
When they're in the throes of these emotions, they may unintentionally shut others out as they try to navigate what's happening on their own. They could be hyper-focused on other activities or tasks. Hyper-focusing is a common symptom of bipolar disorder, and it can change the way someone interacts with the world.
One of the worst side effects of bipolar disorder is the repetitive cycle of self-sabotage. But you can manage this symptom by mapping out your goals.
Patients with rapid changes between the two states are known to have manic depressive states or episodes. Without the appropriate treatment, bipolar behavior can destroy relationships, deteriorate the individual's health, and/or endanger their job.
Let's recap. Manipulation isn't a formal symptom of bipolar disorder, although some people with the condition may exhibit this behavior.
It's common for someone with bipolar disorder to hurt and offend their partner. When someone is first diagnosed, there are often relationship issues that need to be addressed. Couples counseling can help you: Understand that there's an illness involved in the hurtful behavior.
Bipolar people can be abusive, but then, so can non-bipolar people. The above notwithstanding, the extreme mood shifts of bipolar disorder may sometimes have a disinhibiting effect on abusive impulses that would otherwise not get expressed.
A “bipolar meltdown” is, much like “bipolar anger,” a very stigmatizing phrase, and not something that really exists. The phrase “bipolar meltdown” could refer to a bipolar person having a manic episode or being in a depressed state.
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.
Even outside of mood episodes, empathy may be low. A small, 2022 cross-sectional study notes that during euthymic periods, times of mood stability, people with bipolar disorder can exhibit low empathy.
Anxiety, depression, bipolar, and ADHD are a few common mental health issues that may cause passive aggression. When a mental health condition causes overwhelm or fatigue, behaving passive-aggressively may help some to feel heard or gain a sense of control in their life.
People with bipolar might get caught up in blaming others because they have not developed healthy coping skills to deal with their painful feelings.
Whether you fear never getting “better,” being abandoned by your loved ones or even fear the “good days” with bipolar disorder, your experience with fear is not only valid, but most likely common among others in the bipolar community.
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.
Who's affected. Bipolar disorder is fairly common, and around 1 in every 100 people will be diagnosed with it at some point in their life. Bipolar disorder can occur at any age, although it often develops between the ages of 15 and 19. Men and women from all backgrounds are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder.