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.
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.
Some symptoms that suggest a teenager might have bipolar disorder are: Uncharacteristic periods of anger and aggression. Grandiosity and overconfidence. Easy tearfulness, frequent sadness.
If you are concerned about your moods or think you may have bipolar, talk to a trusted adult. Share your concerns. Ask them to set up a visit with your doctor or a mental health provider. See a doctor or mental health provider.
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 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.
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.
To diagnose bipolar disorder, a doctor performs a physical exam, asks about your symptoms, and recommends blood testing to determine if another condition, such as hypothyroidism, is causing your symptoms. If the doctor does not find an underlying cause of your symptoms, he or she performs a psychological evaluation.
Without ongoing treatment, a small mood change may spiral into a manic or depressive episode. Alcohol and drug abuse will increase the severity of Bipolar Disorder, so these problems must also be treated.
"Bipolar disorder can worsen if left undiagnosed and untreated. Episodes may become more frequent or more severe over time without treatment. Also, delays in getting the correct diagnosis and treatment can contribute to personal, social and work-related problems.
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.
Signs of Bipolar Disorder
Unpredictable and extreme mood swings. Going from being wired, talkative, and jumpy (manic episode), to feeling melancholy and depressed (depressive episode) Co-occurring disorders, such as alcohol or drug abuse, eating disorders, anxiety issues, and ADHD.
Binge eating, abusing drugs, smoking—there are many behaviors to deal with bipolar disorder symptoms that can lead to bad habits.
Typical Symptoms of “Mean and Nasty” Bipolar Episodes
Physical anger—your arms and legs want to punch and kick whatever is around you. Talking more forcefully and sometimes more loudly than normal. A marked increase in cussing and language you would not normally use in a normal conversation.
People with bipolar can look, sound, and seem just as “normal” as other people do.
1. Mariah Carey. Singer, songwriter, actress and producer Mariah Carey has won too many awards to list. The iconic artist opened up in 2018 about her 2001 diagnosis of bipolar disorder, in which she was hospitalized for a physical and mental breakdown.
A person with bipolar disorder may be unaware they're in the manic phase. After the episode is over, they may be shocked at their behaviour. But at the time, they may believe other people are being negative or unhelpful. Some people with bipolar disorder have more frequent and severe episodes than others.
If one parent has bipolar disorder, there's a 10% chance that their child will develop the illness. If both parents have bipolar disorder, the likelihood of their child developing bipolar disorder rises to 40%.
Mood swings of bipolar disorder are more random and less related to events than those of borderline. Those with bipolar might have a hair-trigger kind of response during an episode, whereas the borderline person has a hair-trigger response all of the time.
“People with bipolar disorder often report that there's an obsession of the day or the week, and as one problem gets resolved, it can easily be replaced by another problem,” Hubbard says. “There's something in the brain that needs to ruminate and worry and obsess about different topics.