A Closer Look at Bipolar Disorder and Symptoms

Teenagers and adults are the more common victims of bipolar even though this disorder affects people of any age group. Bipolar can be very hard to self-diagnose sometimes, especially due to the fact that the symptoms of bipolar disorders are very similar to those of a lot of other mental disorders. What makes this even harder for people to realize that what they are experiencing is already symptoms of bipolar is that there different types of bipolar.

Bipolar Symptoms - Depression Episodes

The depressive episode is one of the classic symptoms of bipolar disorder. The main feature of this episode is a decrease in pleasure, as well as a decrease in interest in the daily activities. This mood, when compared to the standard mood and routine of the individual, can be very different. When in that state, the person will feel like they are in a state of depression which is probable to occur with or without any causes at all. The mood can also be described as being in a state of sadness or emptiness. The person is often mistaken by thinking that they are acting this way because of other big problems. During this stage of the bipolar disorder, the impact on the person’s occupational and social functioning can be negatively affected. Bipolar symptoms can last for days or even a couple of weeks depending on the severity of the disorder.

The appetite is affected and the person will most probably lose weight. Other classic symptoms are loss of energy, extreme fatigue, decrease in gross motor skill agitation and sleeplessness. Feelings of worthlessness and guilt can also be manifested, which can result in suicidal attempts and deaths.

Bipolar Symptoms - Mania Phase

If not on the depressive state, person can be experiencing the manic phase. The symptoms that are manifested by the affected person are the exact opposite of that of the depressive state. Same as the depressive episode, the behaviors manifested here can be due to known or unknown causes and may last from days to weeks depending on the severity of the disorder.

Mixed Period

On the other hand, during the mixed period, both the bipolar symptoms of the depressive episode and the manic episode can be manifested at the same time. This could last for one week up to a couple of weeks. The mixed episode can be considered as more dangerous and can cause more social impairment in the daily functioning and work situations since the symptoms present are of both the depressive and manic phases. Additionally, when the symptoms of depressive and manic episodes are occurring all at once, it becomes more difficult to treat the disorder and it is harder to predict the behavior of the person.

In most cases, the symptoms of bipolar are often confused with that of other health conditions and even substance abuse. This is why in most cases bipolar disorder is diagnosed at later stages. When this happens, the condition would have already worsened.

It is important to know the symptoms of bipolar disorder so that you are able to treat them once the symptoms are identified. This mental disorder can be termed as dangerous because it can lead to suicide and death. It is advisable to get some help as to prevent these from happening.