Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme highs and lows in mood and energy, with a serious impact on a person’s life.
Over 3.3 million American adults (1.7%) suffer from Bipolar disorder.
Bipolar is often very distressing and disruptive for those who have it, their families, spouses, friends, and employers.
Bipolar I disorder
Bipolar II disorder
Cyclothymic disorder
Other relating bipolar disorder- specified and unspecified
Bipolar disorder used to be identified as manic depression. It is a mental illness that causes unusual and unpredictable shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and concentration.
People with Bipolar disorder experience periods of unusually intense changes in emotions, sleep patterns, and activity levels, and engage in behaviors that are not acceptable for them - often harmful or have undesirable effects.
Symptoms of Manic Episode:
- Are you feeling very high, elated or extremely irritable?
- Feeling jumpy and more active than usual?
- Having a decreased need for sleep?
- Increased speech or flight of ideas
- Racing thoughts
- Feeling like you can take on multiple tasks at once without getting tired
- Excessive or increased appetite for food or even pleasurable activities
- Feelings of grandiosity, unusually talented or powerful
Symptoms of Depressive Episode:
- Feeling very sad and having low moods
- Feeling slow or restless
- Trouble sleeping - falling asleep and staying asleep. Sleeping too much or sleeping too little
- Slow speech, unable to be expressive or have anything to say
- Having trouble concentrating or making decisions, forgetting a lot
- Feeling incapable of performing small or simple tasks
- Lack of interest in activities you usually enjoy, and almost all activities of pleasures
- Feelings of hopelessness, worthless
- Suicidal ideation
To receive the right diagnosis and treatment, you need to ensure you see an experienced board-certified psychiatrist. Early treatment can help people lead healthy, normal, active lives. Accurate diagnosis is important, especially in younger adults. A psychiatrist will diagnose you for bipolar disorder based on your symptoms, medical history, physical examination, life history, and experiences to carefully diagnose you before developing the best treatment plan to help you cope.
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness. Seek a psychiatrist, who cares and will work with you long-term to help you improve your functioning. Your psychiatrist will be able to find the right medications that work best for you. A psychiatrist will carefully treat and monitor you and ensure your medications are appropriate and avoid overprescribing medications that further disabled you.