Diagnosis. The hallmark characteristic of bipolar disorder is the tendency to swing between the two contrasting 'poles' of elevated mood and depression, with a return to largely normal functioning in between these episodes.
The hallmark of bipolar disorder is a manic episode that lasts at least one week. Mania is an excessively elevated mood state that includes feelings of euphoria. It might also cause a person to be unusually irritable and quick to get into conflicts.
Bipolar II disorder is defined by a pattern of depressive and hypomanic episodes, but the episodes are less severe than the manic episodes in bipolar I disorder.
Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood episodes. These episodes include stages of depression and mania, but there are other stages involved in an episode. It's important to recognize the symptoms of each stage so your Mercy provider can help provide the right treatment.
You experience episodes of mania or hypomania, followed by episodes of depression. You feel stable for a few weeks between episodes. For example, you may cycle between manic episodes and stable periods.
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.
First-line treatments for bipolar depressive episodes include lithium or lamotrigine monotherapy. For more severe cases, can add second mood stabilizer (e.g., lamotrigine combined with lithium or divalproex).
Bipolar 1 and 2 can look very similar, but there's one key difference: People with bipolar 1 have at least one episode of mania in their lifetime, while people with bipolar 2 do not. During a manic episode, people with bipolar 1 also tend to have more severe symptoms that disrupt their daily life.
a neurophysiological state consciously accessible as a simple primitive non-reflective feeling most evident in mood and emotion but always available to consciousness. Although one feeling, it can be characterized by two pan-cultural bipolar dimensions: pleasure – displeasure and activation.
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.
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.
Bipolar II disorder is not a milder form of bipolar I disorder, but a separate diagnosis. While the manic episodes of bipolar I disorder can be severe and dangerous, individuals with bipolar II disorder can be depressed for longer periods, which can cause significant impairment with substantial consequences.
The main difference between the two is that depression is unipolar, meaning that there is no “up” period, but bipolar disorder includes symptoms of mania. To differentiate between the two disorders, it helps to understand the symptoms of each one.
Cyclothymia, or cyclothymic disorder, causes mood changes – from feeling low to emotional highs. Cyclothymia has many similarities to bipolar disorder.
“People diagnosed with bipolar disorder tend to experience mood swings, with one of the most common moods being anger. Taking the proper medication can help decrease emotional issues and help the person feel better.” Whether you have bipolar disorder or not, anger and rage are valid emotions.
The first onset of bipolar disorder symptoms (depression and mania) often surface when you are in your twenties, regardless of sex. However, research shows that the initial depressive episode in men tends to arise about 5 years earlier than in women. That's about 22 years old in men versus about 27 years old in women.
In other words, experiencing bipolar disorder does not mean you can't tell right from wrong, but its symptoms can temporarily make it harder to let our sense of morality guide our actions.
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.
One of the hallmark signs of mania is impaired judgment. This causes you to participate in extremely risky or dangerous behaviors. You do things without even considering the consequences of your actions. Gambling and hypersexuality are some of the risky behaviors linked to manic episodes.
The defining characteristics of mania include increased talkativeness, rapid speech, a decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, distractibility, increase in goal-directed activity, and psychomotor agitation.
Bipolar disorder may worsen with age or over time if the condition is left untreated. As time goes on, a person may experience episodes that are more severe and more frequent than when symptoms first appeared.