Bipolar I disorder is defined by manic episodes that last at least 7 days (most of the day, nearly every day) or when manic symptoms are so severe that hospital care is needed. Usually, separate depressive episodes occur as well, typically lasting at least 2 weeks.
They last at least two weeks but can last much longer, sometimes for months. Like manic or hypomanic episodes, they can severely disrupt your everyday life. Severe depression may require medication or a stay in hospital.
On average, people with bipolar will have one or two cycles yearly. In addition, there is a seasonal influence—manic episodes occur more often in the spring and fall.
Mood shift frequency varies from person to person. A small number of patients may have many episodes within one day, shifting from mania (an episode where a person is very high-spirited or irritable) to depression. This has been described as “ultra-rapid cycling.”
Early signs (called “prodromal symptoms”) that you're getting ready to have a manic episode can last weeks to months. If you're not already receiving treatment, episodes of bipolar-related mania can last between three and six months. With effective treatment, a manic episode usually improves within about three months.
People living with bipolar disorder should aim to get the recommended amount of sleep for their age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends more than seven hours per night for adults. 13 However, what's most important is sticking to a consistent sleep schedule.
In patients with bipolar disorder, admissions for manic and depressive episodes frequently follow a seasonal pattern with the peaks during either autumn or winter, or autumn and spring [3,4].
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.
Bipolar disorder can look very different in different people. The symptoms vary widely in their pattern, severity, and frequency. Some people are more prone to either mania or depression, while others alternate equally between the two types of episodes.
People with the disorder have manic episodes, or unusually elevated moods in which the individual might feel very happy, irritable, or “up,” with a marked increase in activity level. They might also have depressive episodes, in which they feel sad, indifferent, or hopeless, combined with a very low activity level.
Many people with bipolar disorder will experience two cycles per year, according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. When someone has four or more manic, hypomanic, or depressive episodes in a 12-month period, this is called rapid cycling.
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.
Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it's diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s.
A bipolar depression crash is usually the emotional fallout of a hypomanic or manic episode. It can also occur when something triggers bipolar depression or as a result of chemical or hormonal changes in the brain.
Many people with bipolar disorder may experience excessive daytime sleepiness, known as hypersomnia. Researchers are still unsure of the exact cause of hypersomnia in those with bipolar disorder. A doctor will often prescribe medication and suggest lifestyle changes to treat this sleep disturbance.
Hypersomnia, or over-sleeping, which is sometimes even more common than insomnia during periods of depression in bipolar disorder. Decreased need for sleep, in which (unlike insomnia) someone can get by with little or no sleep and not feel tired as a result the next day.
Sleep, darkness, reduced activity, and/or endogenous rhythms could contribute to the tendency to switch into depression overnight. Clinicians should attend to the time of day that clinical assessments are performed in patients with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder.
When a person is in a full-blown manic and psychotic episode, memory is greatly affected. In fact, it is rare for someone who is in a deep episode to remember all that happened. This is why it's called a blackout. The average person in this situation remembers maybe 50 percent, in my experience.
Do people with bipolar disorder know what they're doing? Also yes. “Many people think that a person with bipolar disorder doesn't have any control over themselves or that they're unable to take care of themselves or function in society.