A diagnosis of bipolar I disorder means you will have had at least 1 episode of mania that lasts longer than 1 week. You may also have periods of depression. Manic episodes will generally last 3-6 months if left untreated. Depressive episodes will generally last 6-12 months without treatment.
So no, not everyone who has bipolar disorder knows they have it. There are lots of reasons why someone with bipolar disorder might not realize it—or why they might deny having it even if they do.
Bipolar disorder can occur at any age, although it often develops between the ages of 15 and 19 and rarely develops after 40. Men and women from all backgrounds are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder. The pattern of mood swings in bipolar disorder varies widely between people.
Other classic symptoms of bipolar disorder include: Depression—Periods of depression usually emerge in early adolescence and are present before an episode of mania occurs. Changes in conversation—Teens with bipolar disorder may talk fast and quickly switch from topic to topic during manic episodes.
What is Bipolar? Bipolar Disorder is a serious life long mental health condition which features pronounced mood swings. The condition was formerly known as manic depression. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that the condition affects 2.9% of Australians aged 16 and over, or 568,000 people.
Grandiosity and overconfidence. Easy tearfulness, frequent sadness. Needing little sleep to feel rested. Uncharacteristic impulsive behavior.
A stressful circumstance or situation often triggers the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Examples of stressful triggers include: the breakdown of a relationship. physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
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.
Common Thought Patterns Associated with Bipolar Disorder
Manic and depressive episodes have their own distinct thought patterns. Racing thoughts usually tend to happen during bipolar mania. Negative self-talk tends to be more common during bipolar depression. A few of these types of thoughts can occur with both.
As evident, during a manic episode there is a reduced need for sleep in 69–99% of patients and longer sleep onset latency. The majority of sleep architecture findings during mania focus on rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, including shortened REM latency and increased REM density.
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.
Symptoms of a manic episode
Not sleeping or only getting a few hours of sleep but still feeling rested. Having inflated self-esteem, thinking you're invincible. Being more talkative than usual. Talking so much and so fast that others can't interrupt.
Getting a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder can be overwhelming. It's a big diagnosis, but with the right treatment many people are living normal and happy lives with Bipolar Disorder. Therapy for Bipolar Disorder is very effective. Often, counseling is combined with medication to achieve the best outcomes.
Some individuals with bipolar see a link between their diagnosis and their high achievement—sometimes as a result of hypomania's enhanced energy and creativity levels and sometimes because of the degree of focus and self-management required to address symptoms and prevent or cope with mood swings.
Avoid alcohol and drugs.
They can affect how your medications work. They can also worsen bipolar disorder and trigger a mood episode. And they can make the condition harder to treat. So don't use them at all.
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.
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.
Types of Bipolar Episodes
People who are experiencing a manic episode have a cluster of symptoms, which may include an unusually elevated or extremely irritable mood, a decreased need for sleep, rapid speech and racing thoughts, excessive interest in pleasurable activities, or feeling overly important and powerful.
Anxiety disorders (such as Social Phobia) are the most common type of disorder, affecting 1 in 6 (17%, or 3.3 million) Australians, followed by Affective disorders (such as Depressive Episode) (8%), and Substance Use disorders (such as Alcohol Dependence) (3. %).
An estimated 4.4% of U.S. adults experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives.
Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness that can inflict serious disability on patients throughout Australia.