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.
Psychosis. “When bipolar disorder mood symptoms are severe, a person may experience psychosis, or delusional and paranoid thinking which is out of touch with reality,” says Dr. Dudley. Howard says that bipolar psychosis is frightening because what he thinks is happening isn't actually happening.
It's common in children and adolescents, but it usually doesn't get diagnosed until adulthood—it can take up to ten years from the time a person experiences symptoms to the time they actually get diagnosed! So no, not everyone who has bipolar disorder knows they have it.
The physical symptoms of bipolar disorder may include:
Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much. Rapid heart rate. Heart palpitations.
They may have an exaggerated sense of confidence and make poor, risky decisions. Signs of mania can also be unusually high levels of talkativeness, a lack of sleep, irritability, and being distracted. If your loved one is in a depressive mode, they may lose interest in activities or responsibilities.
Most people overthink decisions or second-guess choices they've made at one time or another but when you have bipolar disorder, it can feel like you're on a hamster wheel without any signs of a slow down or an end in sight.
Bipolar disorder may make it more difficult for you to interpret people's emotions. Missed clues make it harder for you to empathize when others feel happy or sad. If someone is feeling troubled, you may lack enough empathy to be moved to help.
For people who deal with bipolar disorder, emotions can be far more intense than they might otherwise be, or else you might even feel a complete lack of emotion, at all, in instances when you would usually feel resonance.
I've accepted my diagnosis, but I still have to work on being mindful of my symptoms, as bipolar disorder can come with a lack of self-awareness. This is especially true for hypomania (a less severe form of mania). Hypomania can be difficult to detect because in the moment it makes me feel like I'm flying.
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.
People with bipolar disorder who experience psychosis are more likely to experience problems with verbal-declarative memory and spatial working memory, compared with those who do not have psychosis. This can make it hard to recall and retell events and stories from the past.
Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it's diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s. Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms may vary over time.
“When you're in a hypomanic or manic state, you're also more likely to feel you're in love,” says Haase. “You may then act on that feeling when making major long-term life decisions, not understanding your state had something to do with what you were feeling.”
Signs of A Bipolar Meltdown
The extreme mood swings that occur in bipolar disorder are accompanied by changes in sleep patterns, eating habits, emotions, and behaviors. People with bipolar disorder can experience periods of mania and depression, and the timing of these episodes can be difficult to predict.
Living with bipolar disorder does not mean that a person will experience difficulty making and maintaining friendships. However, without suitable treatment and a support network, symptoms of the condition may put a strain on relationships.
Cyclothymia, or cyclothymic disorder, causes mood changes – from feeling low to emotional highs. Cyclothymia has many similarities to bipolar disorder.
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.
What tests will the doctor use to make a bipolar diagnosis? Your doctor may have you fill out a mood questionnaire or checklist to help guide the clinical interview when they assess mood symptoms. In addition, your doctor may order blood and urine tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms.
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.