Three key symptoms of bipolar disorder include extreme mood swings between manic highs (like high energy, reduced need for sleep, racing thoughts, irritability) and depressive lows (like sadness, fatigue, loss of interest), alongside impulsive or risky behaviors and significant changes in energy and activity levels.
Five key signs of bipolar disorder involve extreme mood shifts, including manic/hypomanic symptoms like inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, high energy/activity, and impulsive behaviors (spending/sex), alongside depressive symptoms such as persistent sadness, loss of interest, fatigue, and sleep/appetite changes, creating significant life disruption.
The first red flag of bipolar disorder often appears as significant changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or oversleeping), dramatic shifts in mood (intense irritability, euphoria, or deep sadness), and increased energy or agitation, often accompanied by racing thoughts, impulsivity (like risky spending), or severe fatigue and loss of interest during depressive phases, with these shifts differing greatly from typical mood swings and often impacting daily functioning.
The main symptom of bipolar disorder is extreme changes to your mood. You sometimes have either: high moods (mania or hypomania) – for example, feeling very happy, excited or energetic. low moods (depression) – for example, feeling sad, tired or hopeless.
Mania and hypomania
The Big Five personality comprises independent traits of neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness (McCrae and John 1992) and forms the basis of several personality inventories (Costa and McCrae 1992).
Mood stabilizers like lithium are often considered the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder, particularly Bipolar I. Lithium not only helps manage manic episodes but also significantly reduces the risk of suicide, a common concern with bipolar patients.
At the outset, bipolar symptoms are commonly mistaken for ADHD, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and, in its more severe manifestations, as schizophrenia.
Some experts believe that experiencing a lot of emotional distress as a child can cause bipolar disorder to develop. This could be because childhood trauma and distress can have a big effect on your ability to manage your emotions. This can include experiences like: Neglect. Sexual, physical or emotional abuse.
The most serious side effect of chronic, unmanaged bipolar disorder is the increased risk for self-harm and suicidal ideation. Persistent low moods can feel so overwhelming that some people consider hurting themselves, isolating themselves, or ending their life out of hopelessness.
The first stage of a mental breakdown, often starting subtly, involves feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and increasingly anxious or irritable, coupled with difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep/appetite, and withdrawing from activities or people that once brought joy, all stemming from intense stress that becomes too much to handle.
How many hours should a bipolar person sleep? People should try to sleep at least 7 hours per night, regardless of whether they have a condition such as bipolar disorder.
Age at onset of type-I bipolar disorder (BPD) typically averages 12-24 years, is older among patients with type-II BPD, and oldest in unipolar major depressive disorder 1,2,3. Reported onset ages probably vary by ascertainment methods, and possibly among different countries and cultures 1,2,3,4,5,6.
People with bipolar disorder often experience periods of extremely “up,” elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) and very “down,” sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes).
Here, mental health experts share seven common phrases to avoid saying to anyone with bipolar disorder — and the thoughtful, helpful things to say instead.
Bipolar disorder is frequently inherited, with genetic factors accounting for approximately 80% of the cause of the condition. Bipolar disorder is the most likely psychiatric disorder to be passed down from family. If one parent has bipolar disorder, there's a 10% chance that their child will develop the illness.
The Takeaway. A poor diet can contribute to bipolar mood episodes, and certain food choices may help manage them. People with bipolar disorder should avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol, sugar, salt, and saturated fats.
Ignoring a person with bipolar disorder can escalate their mood swings and trigger their negative emotions. It can be harmful to a person and your relationship with that person. This is because such a person might experience frequent changes in emotional stability.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder
Mood-stabilizing medicines help control manic or hypomanic episodes. They also may help depressive bouts. Examples include lithium (Lithobid), valproic acid, divalproex sodium (Depakote, Depakote ER), carbamazepine (Tegretol, Tegretol XR, Equetro, others) and lamotrigine (Lamictal).
Cyclothymia symptoms alternate between emotional highs and lows. The highs of cyclothymia include symptoms of an elevated mood (hypomanic symptoms). The lows consist of mild or moderate depressive symptoms. Cyclothymia symptoms are similar to those of bipolar I or II disorder, but they're less severe.
7 Supplements That May Help With Bipolar Disorder
Only a mental health professional like a psychiatrist can give you a bipolar disorder diagnosis – not your GP. However, if you're experiencing bipolar moods and symptoms, discussing it with your GP can be a good first step. They can refer you to a psychiatrist, who will be able to assess you.