Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes extreme shifts in mood. In the brain, bipolar disorder is associated with a number of structural and functional changes. Affected areas of the brain include the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, gray matter, and neurotransmitters.
Bipolar disorder is an illness that produces dramatic swings in mood (amongst other symptoms). A person with bipolar disorder will alternate between periods of mania (elevated mood) and periods of depression (feelings of intense sadness). In between these two extremes, a person will have periods of normal mood.
Bipolar disorder affects the thinner cortical gray matter in the frontal, temporal, and parietal regions of both brain hemispheres, and also the hippocampus.
Sometimes the delusions and hallucinations that accompany bipolar symptoms are in keeping with a person's current mood state, in which case they're called mood-congruent symptoms, and sometimes the opposite is the case—a person's delusion doesn't match up with their mood, which is known as mood-incongruent symptoms.
Structural Differences
Studies have shown reduced gray matter in people with bipolar, and these deficits are most pronounced in the areas of the brain controlling inhibition and motivation—frontal and temporal regions.
Does bipolar disorder affect intelligence? No, bipolar disorder doesn't seem to impact your intelligence, but it can affect some aspects of your cognition. As the table above explains, there's a difference between cognition and intelligence. They're related, though.
So no, not everyone who has bipolar disorder knows they have it. There are lots of reasons why someone with bipolar disorder might not realize it—or why they might deny having it even if they do.
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.
A person with bipolar disorder can experience the world differently from other people. Inside Bipolar podcast host Gabe Howard, writing on the online community BPHope website, notes that people with bipolar disorder may lie to “fit in,” because expressing their true emotions makes them seem strange to others.
Obsessive thinking is a fairly common but rarely discussed symptom of bipolar.
There is no cure for bipolar disorder, and changes to the brain can be permanent. However, treatments for bipolar disorder, such as lithium, may have a “normalizing effect” on the brain. The author of a 2015 review concluded that the use of lithium or mood stabilizers is associated with increases in gray matter volume.
Bipolar disorder can cause a lack of empathy, but symptoms may also make it more challenging to focus on the feelings of others. While there is no medication to improve empathy, treating bipolar disorder can help. Introspection, guided emotional learning, and observing emotions in others may also help build empathy.
These emotions have the potential to cause agitation, frustration, and general unhappiness. In order to deal with their emotional pain or to express their internal struggles, they may unintentionally lash out or say hurtful things.
Try relaxation activities, like meditation or yoga. Maintain a support network, of family and friends there to help during a crisis. Educate your loved ones about bipolar disorder so they can best support you. Ask them to help you recognize the warning signs of manic or depressive episodes.
Individuals with bipolar disorder are prone to risk-taking behavior that is subsequently regretted.
The Actions Of Someone With Bipolar Disorder
They may think fast, act impulsively, and have a sense of grandiosity or large ego. As a result, they may lie or say things that are untrue about themselves to impress others. If they engage in substance use, their judgment may be impaired.
“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.”
During the highs of bipolar disorder (periods of mania), you may be so aroused that you can go for days without sleep without feeling tired the next day. For three out of four people with bipolar disorder, sleep problems are the most common signal that a period of mania is about to occur.
Whether you fear never getting “better,” being abandoned by your loved ones or even fear the “good days” with bipolar disorder, your experience with fear is not only valid, but most likely common among others in the bipolar community.
Patients with rapid changes between the two states are known to have manic depressive states or episodes. Without the appropriate treatment, bipolar behavior can destroy relationships, deteriorate the individual's health, and/or endanger their job.
Don't take comments or behavior personally. During periods of high energy, a person often says and does things that he or she would not usually say or do. This can include focusing on negative aspects of others. If needed, stay away from the person and avoid arguments.