Bipolar Disorder Symptoms - Causes, Types, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms - Causes, Types, Diagnosis, and Treatment

When you're depressed, you could experience sadness or hopelessness as well as lose interest in or enjoyment from most things. Mania or hypomania, a less severe form of mania, can result in mood changes such as exhilaration, increased energy, or unusually high levels of irritation. Sleep, energy, activity, judgment, conduct, and the capacity for clear thought can all be impacted by these mood changes.

Even though bipolar disorder is a lifelong diagnosis, you can control other symptoms like mood swings by adhering to a treatment plan. The majority of the time, psychotherapy and medication are used to manage bipolar disorder.

Even though bipolar disorder is a lifelong diagnosis, you can control other symptoms like mood swings by adhering to a treatment plan. The majority of the time, psychotherapy and medication are used to manage bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder: what is it?

While everyone experiences ups and downs, people with bipolar disorder formerly known as manic depression or manic-depressive disorder, have more extreme peaks and valleys. Serious changes in mood, energy, thought, and behavior are brought on by bipolar disease, ranging from the extremes of mania to the depths of sadness. Bipolar disorder cycles extend beyond brief moments of happiness or sadness to span days, weeks, or even months. Furthermore, unlike regular mood swings, bipolar disorder's mood swings are so severe that they can impair your performance at work or school, sabotage your relationships, and make it difficult for you to go about your everyday business.

You might rashly quit your work, run up enormous credit card debt, or wake up feeling refreshed after only two hours of sleep during a manic episode. You may be too exhausted to get out of bed during a depressed episode, and you may feel hopeless and full of self-loathing due to your debt and unemployment.

Although the exact causes of bipolar disorder are unknown, it frequently seems to run in families. Bipolar disorder typically manifests its first manic or depressed episode in adolescence or the early stages of adulthood. Many persons with bipolar disorder go undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed due to the disorder's mild and perplexing symptoms, which cause needless suffering. It's critical to understand the signs of bipolar illness because the condition tends to get worse without treatment. The first step to feeling better and regaining control over your life is acknowledging the issue.

What symptoms and signs are present in bipolar disorder?

The symptoms of bipolar disease might vary greatly among individuals. The frequency, severity, and pattern of the symptoms vary greatly. While some people cycle equally between the two sorts of episodes, others are more prone to either mania or depression. While some people suffer mood swings often throughout their lives, others only do it a few times. In the first, watch for this video

Mania, hypomania, depression, and mixed episodes are the four different forms of mood episodes associated with bipolar illness. The symptoms of bipolar disorder mood episodes vary depending on the type of episode.

Mania symptoms and signs.

Feelings of increased energy, creativity, and exhilaration are typical during the manic phase of bipolar disorder. During a manic episode, you might talk nonstop, sleep very little, and exhibit hyperactivity. Additionally, you can believe that you are unstoppable, all-knowing, or born to be great.

However, mania has a propensity to go out of hand even when it feels fantastic at first. During a manic episode, you could act recklessly for example, by gambling away your savings, having inappropriate sex, or making dumb business decisions. Additionally, you could become agitated, and hostile, and pick conflicts, snapping at anyone who doesn't follow your plans, and blaming anyone who calls you out on your actions. Some even start hearing voices or developing delusions.

• Feeling incredibly agitated OR extraordinarily "high" and upbeat.
• Extravagant, unrealistic ideas about one's capacity or strength.
• I'm feeling incredibly energized and getting very little sleep.
• Talking at a pace that is too fast for others to follow.
• Ideas that race, scurrying from one to the next.
• Easily distracted and difficult to focus.
• Impulsivity and poor judgment.
• Acting carelessly and without regard for the repercussions.
• Hallucinations and delusions (in extreme circumstances).

Hypomania symptoms and signs.

A milder variation of mania is called hypomania. While in a hypomanic state, you may expect to feel happy, energized, and productive, but you won't lose consciousness and be able to go about your daily activities as usual. Others could think you're just in an exceptionally pleasant mood. Hypomania, however, can lead to poor choices that are detrimental to your reputation, job, and relationships. Furthermore, hypomania frequently progresses to manic episodes or is followed by major depressive disorder.

Bipolar depression symptoms and signs.

An increasing amount of evidence indicates that there are important differences between bipolar depression and ordinary depression, particularly about recommended therapies. Bipolar illness was previously grouped in with regular depression.

Antidepressants do not benefit the majority of patients with bipolar depression. Antidepressants may actually exacerbate bipolar disorder by inducing mania or hypomania, accelerating the cycle between mood states, or interfering with other medications that stabilize mood.

Though bipolar depression and conventional depression share many characteristics, bipolar depression is more common in specific symptoms. For instance, anger, guilt, erratic mood swings, and restlessness are more common in bipolar depression. You might speak and move more slowly, sleep a lot, and put on weight if you have bipolar depression. You also run the risk of experiencing severe difficulties in your ability to function socially and professionally, as well as psychotic depression, a disorder in which you lose all sense of reality.

• Feeling devoid, depressed, or hopeless
• Intolerance
• Not being able to enjoy yourself
• Tiredness or low vitality
• Lethargy, both mental and physical
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Issues with sleep
• Issues with focus and memory
• Suicidal or death-related thoughts Feelings of shame or worthlessness

Signs of a mixed-event episode.

Bipolar disorder signs of both mania or hypomania and depression are present in a mixed episode. Depression coupled with agitation, irritability, anxiety, sleeplessness, distractibility, and racing thoughts are common indicators of a mixed episode. Suicide risk is especially high when high energy and low mood are combined.

Is there another reason for your symptoms?

The following illnesses and drugs can mimic the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder:

• Vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Thyroid disorders.
• Neurological disorders.
• Parkinson's disease medications.
• Corticosteroids.
• Antidepressants.
• Anxiety medications.
• Adrenal disorders (such as Addison's disease and Cushing's syndrome).

Types of bipolar disorder.

Because individual symptoms can differ greatly, bipolar illness is frequently classified into distinct kinds based on the pattern of mania and depression.

Mania or a mixed episode in bipolar I disorder

With at least one manic episode or mixed episode, this is the classic manic-depressive version of the disorder. Bipolar I Disorder often entails at least one depressive episode, though this is not always the case.

Depression and hypomania in bipolar II disorder

Full-blown manic episodes are not experienced by those with bipolar II disorder. Rather, hypomanic and depressive episodes are the hallmarks of the condition.

Cyclothymia (moderate sadness and hypomania)

Bipolar disorder that is less severe and characterized by cyclical mood fluctuations is called cyclothymia. The symptoms are not as bad as those of full-blown depression or mania, though.

Undefined or alternative kinds

Your doctor may diagnose nonspecific bipolar disorder if you have symptoms that do not fall into another group or if they are related to another medical problem, including substance misuse.

Quick cycling: what is it?

A condition known as "rapid cycling" occurs in certain bipolar patients, in which four or more manic or depressive episodes occur in 12 months. Mood swings can happen very quickly, akin to a rollercoaster that abruptly shifts in intensity over days or even hours, going from high to low and back again. The most common cause of rapid cycling, which can make you feel dangerously out of control, is inadequate treatment for the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

How can get an accurate diagnosis?

It's not always simple to receive a precise bipolar illness diagnosis. It can be challenging to differentiate the mood fluctuations of bipolar illness from those of other conditions such as significant depression, ADHD, and borderline personality disorder. For many bipolar disorder sufferers, proper diagnosis and treatment of the condition require time and multiple doctor visits.

It is advisable to consult a psychiatrist with experience treating bipolar disorder rather than a family doctor or another kind of physician because diagnosing bipolar disorder can be difficult even for skilled doctors. A psychiatrist is more likely to be knowledgeable about the most recent findings and available treatments because they specialize in mental health.

What to anticipate from the diagnostic examination?

The following are often included in a bipolar disorder diagnostic examination:

• Psychological evaluation: A thorough psychiatric history will be taken by the physician or bipolar disorder specialist. You will be asked questions regarding your symptoms, the problem's history, any prior treatments you may have had, and any family history of mood disorders.
• Medical history and physical examination: Although lab tests are not available to diagnose bipolar disorder, your doctor should do these procedures to rule out other conditions or drugs that may be contributing to your symptoms. It is especially crucial to screen for thyroid issues since they might mimic bipolar illness by causing mood fluctuations.

Your doctor may also ask relatives and friends about your moods and actions in addition to reviewing your medical and mental health history. People who are close to you can often provide a more objective and accurate description of your symptoms.

What are the causes and triggers of bipolar disorder?

The causes of bipolar disorder are multiple. Although some individuals seem to have a genetic predisposition to bipolar disorder, not everyone who carries this vulnerability will go on to experience the illness, suggesting that genetics is not the only cause. Studies using brain imaging have revealed structural alterations in the brains of bipolar disorder sufferers. Additional studies reveal abnormal thyroid function, disruptions to the circadian rhythm, imbalances in neurotransmitters, and elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Bipolar disorder is thought to develop as a result of external environmental and psychological factors. These outside elements are referred to as triggers. Triggers have the power to either start new manic or depressive episodes or exacerbate pre-existing symptoms. But there's no clear trigger for a lot of bipolar disorder episodes.

• Tension: A genetically predisposed person may experience bipolar illness in response to stressful life experiences. These occasions usually entail abrupt or dramatic changes, either positive or negative. Examples of these are getting married, moving away for college, losing a loved one, being fired, or getting married.
• Drug misuse: Substance misuse can exacerbate the illness or trigger an episode, but it does not cause bipolar disorder. Amphetamines, cocaine, and ecstasy are examples of drugs that can cause mania, whereas alcohol and tranquilizers can cause depression.
• Drugs: Mania can be brought on by some medications, most notably antidepressants. Medications such as over-the-counter cold remedies, appetite suppressants, caffeine, corticosteroids, and thyroid medication can also induce manic episodes.
• Variations in Seasons: Mania and melancholy episodes frequently have a seasonal pattern. Summer is when manic episodes are more common, while fall, winter, and spring are when depressed episodes are more common.
• Lack of sleep: Mania episodes can be brought on by sleep deprivation, even in little doses like missing a few hours of sleep.

What is the treatment of bipolar disorder?

If you spot the symptoms of bipolar disorder in yourself or someone else, don’t wait to get help. Ignoring the issue is unlikely to solve it; on the contrary, it will probably get worse. Untreated bipolar disease can cause issues with your job, relationships, and health, among other things. However, bipolar disorder is very curable, so getting a diagnosis and beginning treatment as soon as possible, so diagnosing the problem and starting treatment as early as possible can help prevent these complications.

If you’re reluctant to seek treatment because you like the way you feel when you’re manic, remember that the energy and euphoria come with a price. Mania and hypomania often turn destructive, hurting you and the people around you.

Basics of treatment

• Treatment for bipolar disorder needs to be ongoing: Treatment for bipolar disorder should be continued even after symptoms improve because it's a chronic, recurrent condition. The majority of bipolar illness sufferers require medication to stop future episodes and maintain symptom-free living.
• Treatment entails more than just taking medicine: Typically, medication is insufficient to completely manage bipolar illness symptoms. The best way to manage bipolar disorder is to combine medication, counseling, lifestyle modifications, and social support.

Ultimately, one in every 100 individuals may receive a bipolar disorder diagnosis at some point in their lives, making it a reasonably common condition. Although bipolar disorder can strike at any age, it often appears between the ages of 15 and 19.

Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally, regardless of upbringing. In bipolar disorder, mood swing patterns can vary greatly. For instance, whereas some persons experience multiple episodes of bipolar disorder throughout their lives, others only experience a few and remain stable in between.