Let them know you're worried If you're worried that your friend or family member is becoming unwell, try to address this with them gently. Don't criticise or accuse, and stay calm and non-confrontational. Explain that you've noticed changes in their behaviour and why it concerns you, and ask if they've noticed it too.
Remind them that you care
Open communication and honesty are key in any healthy relationship, regardless of mental health. Whether your loved one is depressed, manic, or having a symptom-free day, assure (and reassure) them that you accept them and love them.
Research has shown that the most common trigger for episodes of mania is sleep loss. This can be in the form of sleep disturbances, disruption, jet lag, and an inconsistent sleep schedule. Sleep disturbances rarely cause episodes of hypomania, but it does happen—particularly in individuals with bipolar I.
How long does a manic episode last? 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.
Detection of mania, or at least of brief hypomania, is required for diagnosis of bipolar disorder. This diagnosis is often missed or not remembered as an illness. People close to the patient may recall episodes, however, and patients who do not remember episodes of affective disturbance may recall their consequences.
There are three stages of mania: hypomania, acute mania and delirious mania. Classifications of mania are mixed states, hypomania and associated disorders.
Signs of a Manic Episode
Feeling wired, jumpy, or buzzed. Irritability. Not needing sleep, or feeling energetic despite getting little to no sleep for days at a time. Loss of appetite, and having lots of energy despite eating little food.
Mania lasts for a week or more and has a severe negative impact on your ability to do your usual day-to-day activities – often disrupting or stopping these completely. Severe mania is very serious, and often needs to be treated in hospital.
Mania in particular tends to trigger aggressive emotions and anger. The racing thoughts and high energy levels you experience can leave you feeling angry, irritable, and frustrated. Those angry emotions, in turn, can cause aggressive and inappropriate behaviors.
Following a bipolar diagnosis, many individuals find themselves asking if bipolar can ever go away. Bipolar generally does not go away and requires a lifetime of treatment, but you can develop skills to better manage manic and depressive episodes.
Having mania does not always mean that the person feels happy. While mania can cause a feeling of euphoria, it can also cause extreme irritability. Symptoms of mania can include: uncontrollable excitement.
As a manic episode ends, you'll start to feel less frenzied, be able to think more clearly, and get more sleep. You may have to face unpleasant consequences of your actions during the episode. Therapy, medication, and social support are important factors that can help you cope with the end of a manic episode.
Acute bipolar manic and mixed episodes often constitute medical emergencies, requiring admission to hospital to ensure safety and rapid recovery. However, morbidity from mania is not limited to acute episodes as full recovery of functioning often lags months behind remission of symptoms.
Mania may sometimes lead to psychotic episodes, which can trigger a misdiagnosis of schizophrenia. Bipolar may worsen with age or over time if this 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.
The results showed that manic episodes led to decreased volume in certain areas of the brain. Bipolar disorder has been linked to various structural brain changes, including most notably progressive grey matter loss in the brain's frontal regions.
Let them know you're worried. If you're worried that your friend or family member is becoming unwell, try to address this with them gently. Don't criticise or accuse, and stay calm and non-confrontational. Explain that you've noticed changes in their behaviour and why it concerns you, and ask if they've noticed it too.
Both a manic and a hypomanic episode include three or more of these symptoms: Abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired. Increased activity, energy or agitation. Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)