Bipolar Disorder is a psychiatric disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression. Approximately 5 million Americans are reported as being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. There is no test to confirm if someone has the disorder and people can exhibit different symptoms. As such, it is hard for medical professionals to make an accurate diagnosis for those who may suffer from the mental disease.
A person with bipolar disorder will have moods that swing from abnormally happy to abnormally depressed states. There is no set time for how long a state will last, nor is there any set time between states. A person may have a period of time where they are seemingly "normal." Patients under either phase may use drugs or alcohol. The use of drugs and/or alcohol can worsen the symptoms. The episodes may overlap. This means that a patient may experience a manic state and a depressive state at the same time. A patient may also undergo each phase in quick succession. When this occurs, it's considered a mixed state. A person that exhibits symptoms of either episode for the majority of a day, on a daily basis, for at least two weeks may be suffering from bipolar disorder. Bipolar usually develops sometime during a person's late teen or early adult years. In most reported cases, bipolar was developed before the age of 25.
When a person is suffering from a bipolar manic episode, they may exhibit signs of a low attention span, impaired judgment, and or an increase in energy. When in a manic state, they may also become aggressive and irritable. Some bipolar patients also may suffer from delusions and may even experience a psychotic break where they can no longer distinguish between fantasy and reality. Some may see an increase in their sexual drive. During a manic phase, some patients with bipolar disorder may find a wealth of creativity in them. Patients may also experience racing thoughts and an inflated self-esteem.
A person showing symptoms of a bipolar depressive episode will be sad and anxious. They may also experience feelings of fear, guilt, anger or anger. They may have problems sleeping and may not have an appetite. Because of the lack of sleep, they will feel fatigued. They could also lose interest in activities they once enjoyed and may have difficulty concentrating. Decreases in sexual activity, shyness, and irritability are also known symptoms of depression. They may entertain thoughts of suicide. They may feel isolated from people. This feeling of isolation will increase as they also start withdraw from friends.
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