Bipolar was once classified as Manic-Depressive Disorder. It’s categorized by extreme mood swings and feelings of euphoria. People that are bipolar are often full of energy during periods of mania. They may feel that they are superhuman and can-do things that the average person cannot. During periods of depression, they may feel hopeless and like they have nothing to live for. Though cycles can be a couple of times a year, some are rapid cyclers. These people switch from periods of depression to euphoria many times in a day.
Bipolar is diagnosed in late teenage years or early adulthood. It is classified into three categories: Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Cyclothymic Disorder. In bipolar I, mood issues can be disruptive in life. The manic episodes with this illness are severe, and they can be dangerous. In bipolar II, a person can function with little issues. They still have mania, but it is not as severe as those episodes with bipolar I. Consequently, the depression with hypomania last longer in bipolar II than it does in bipolar I.
1. Mood Swings
Changing moods are frequent in people when they are stressed or elated. However, for a person suffering from bipolar disorder, the mood swings are extreme. In general, they go from mania to depression and back again. Each person is different as is their patterns of highs and lows. Coping with mood swings can be troublesome.
It’s important to understand what causes the swings in the first place. The medical community believes that a chemical imbalance in the brain causes the rapid shifts in moods. An irregular hormone production can also be to blame.
Neurotransmitters send signals to the nerve’s cells. However, some things can make moods worse. Things like lack of sleep, stress, disagreements with spouse/significant other, caffeine or alcohol, seasonal changes, thyroid problems, and non-compliance with medications can all affect moods.
2. Sadness
Unhappiness is hard for some to distinguish. It is not abnormal to have “the blues.” Life can be hard, and when stressors arise, it is common to feel blue. Depression is when sadness does not go away. It is categorized as a constant state of unhappiness, but the differences between the depressive nature that comes with bipolar and random sadness are vastly different.
When painful circumstances arise, it is normal for a person to experience grief. Everyone experiences sorrow at some point in their life, but those who suffer from bipolar disorder will often have periods of gloom for no apparent reason. Remember, depression is sadness, but sadness isn’t always depression.
3. Hypersomnia
To be excessively sleepy during the daytime or spend a strange time sleeping at night is a condition called hypersomnia. Many people have a difficult time staying awake during daylight hours, mainly if they eat a large lunch. This situation is not about a little sleepiness in the afternoon.
This person can fall asleep at any time or place. For instance, they can be driving down the road and nod off. While this condition is often seen in bipolar disorder, it can also be seen in narcolepsy and many other sleep disturbances. Depression, which comes along with bipolar, can also cause oversleeping too.
4. Insomnia
Insomnia is the exact opposite of hypersomnia. It occurs when people have trouble falling or staying asleep. Those suffering from bipolar can go days without sleeping a wink. In fact, one of the signs of the condition is being able to go with little sleep for weeks on end. Suffering from insomnia comes along with many conditions, and it is a sleep disorder all on its own. When a person tells their doctor how they can go for extended periods without any sleep, a doctor looks for logical reasons before looking in the direction of bipolar or any other mental disorder.
5. Weight Gain
Losing or gaining weight of more than 10 pounds should be investigated. People who have bipolar disorder often binge eat. The impulses that cause them to do crazy things can be gorging on massive amounts of food. Also, when someone suffers from depression and unhappiness, they can try to eat away their pain.
One of the hallmarks of this condition is gaining weight. Though in most cases it is not seen as a dangerous symptom, it certainly can get out of hand if one’s weight heads to the obese category. Though this sign alone is not enough for a diagnosis, it indeed can be combined with other symptoms to solidify the verdict.
6. Fatigue
Fatigue can be a common symptom of many diseases. Depression comes along with bipolar disorder, which brings along with it fatigue. The need to sleep excessive amounts can also go together with hypersomnia. One of the body’s coping mechanisms for mental anguish is to rest. Rest repairs and restores the body.
The only problem is that a person who is in a depressive state finds that their exhaustion is overwhelming. Some may not be able to function due to the overwhelming fatigue they experience with bipolar. Thankfully, this is one of the symptoms that seems to wax and wane.
7. Loss of Interest
A loss of interest in activities is devastating. A person who once loved shopping may barely darken the door of a mall. What about cooking? Those suffering from bipolar depression may avoid cooking and opt for takeout foods. The loss of activities that a person once enjoyed is part of depression in general.
Isolation is a big sign that something isn’t right. Not only does a person lay down all their favorite things, but they may also isolate themselves so that they don’t have to face the world. They can become agoraphobic, which means they avoid leaving their home for fear of being panicked or feeling anxiety. Many other phobias can also develop from the loss of interest that comes with bipolar disorder.
8. Agitation
Agitation comes along with depression. It is one of the most significant problems in bipolar disorder. Agitation can also accompany mania, which is called dysphoria. A mixed affective state is when a person is both depressed and manic at the same time. During this time, their brain races and they feel despair, irritability, have racing thoughts, suicidal ideation as well as fatigue.
During dysphoric mania, a person will have the agitation and anxiety that goes along with depression, but they will also experience the energy and racing thoughts of madness. Many people suffer from agitation in life, but when it comes together with bipolar disorder, it is a whole different ballgame.
9. Delusions
Delusions believe in things that are not true. For instance, a person with bipolar may think that they are a superhuman capable of flying. Because of this belief, they may try to jump from a building to prove their ability. Some may think they are rich and go to buy a car without a dime in their bank account. Bipolar is an imbalance of brain chemicals, and it can cause a person to think all sorts of things, which are not true. A delusion is a misunderstanding, mistake or the wrong interpretation. Due to the brains overactive nature during mania, delusions are commonplace.
10. Hyperactivity
Bipolar and ADHD are often diagnosed together. One of the signs of bipolar is that a person talks fast, has frequent body movements, and is all over the place with thoughts. It is hard to imagine that weight gain could be one of the problems when someone has so much activity. Just because these conditions are often diagnosed together, does not mean that a person with ADHD is not misdiagnosed with bipolar at times too. Hyperactivity causes impulse control issues, racing thoughts, speaks before they think, and is often giddy and talkative. It is easy to see how this can fit into the bipolar or ADHD category.
