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.
These intense mood swings can be incredibly distressing and leave a person feeling that they have little to no control over their emotions. This bipolar rage - when uncontrolled - can then have a huge impact on a person's friendships, family life and career.
Neurological changes in bipolar disorder may contribute to lower capacity for empathy, but sometimes empathy is there — just hidden behind self-focused symptoms. Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition featuring extreme mood and energy shifts.
“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.”
Conditions That Can Co-Occur With Bipolar Disorder
For example, someone having psychotic symptoms during a depressive episode may falsely believe they are financially ruined, while someone having psychotic symptoms during a manic episode may falsely believe they are famous or have special powers.
Unpredictable or intense mood changes define the heart of bipolar disorder. It can cause you to unwittingly withdraw from the people you love, or overly engage them.
It's common to feel embarrassed, humiliated, ashamed, even worthless. There's often regret, sharpened by fear that you've alienated people in your life. Realizing that you've caused hurt and hardship—a major wellspring of guilt—only compounds the pain.
Bipolar patients show lack of emotional intelligence when compared with general population. Cognitive impairment and age are the principal factors related.
If you have bipolar and wish to repair relationships damaged by your behavior (whether while symptomatic or not), it is vital to first recognize the other person's feelings and pain. Admitting to your actions and acknowledging the harm they caused your loved one is a good first step in the process of making amends.
Grandiosity and overconfidence. Easy tearfulness, frequent sadness. Needing little sleep to feel rested. Uncharacteristic impulsive behavior.
Watching someone you love struggle with Bipolar Disorder can be equally challenging and exhausting. Seeing your loved one experience hopelessness, frequent crying spells, social and career frustrations, and feelings of worthlessness can be heartbreaking.
Borderline personality disorder is one of the most painful mental illnesses since individuals struggling with this disorder are constantly trying to cope with volatile and overwhelming emotions.
Hypersexuality can exist as a sign of bipolar disorder or on its own. Also referred to as compulsive sexual behavior or sexual addiction, hypersexuality is described as a dysfunctional preoccupation with sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors that are difficult to control.
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.
Bipolar Anger & Rage
They may be jealous that others in their life do not have to take medication or undergo certain precautions. Friends and family may not understand the person, making them feel more alone and discouraged, even developing abandonment issues.
[1] It makes sense considering that when people became manic, they had more energy to use, and more ideas racing through their minds, leading to creativity. Jimi Hendrix, arguably one of the greatest rock and roll guitarists of all time, was said to be a genius in his own right. He wrote the song “Manic-Depression.”
Three Signs of Abandonment Beliefs during Bipolar Depression
You feel like even pets don't want your company. The abandonment feeling encompasses home, work, and the world in general. You feel that EVERYONE and EVERYTHING is leaving you. The abandonment feelings are not attached to an event.
One of the worst side effects of bipolar disorder is the repetitive cycle of self-sabotage. But you can manage this symptom by mapping out your goals.
They may be affectionate and loving sometimes and then cold and distant at other times. The person may welcome and enjoy sex one day, while rejecting affection the next day. These erratic behaviors can be quite challenging for all concerned, especially spouses.
Here are some reasons why people with bipolar push others away: They don't want to burden people with their problems. The inside of a bipolar mind can be a dark place sometimes. It's common for people with bipolar to worry that their problems are going to bring people down.
“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.