What is bipolar disorder, how to recognise it and treatment options

We all have our ups and downs, but with bipolar disorder these peaks and troughs are much more severe. The symptoms of bipolar disorder can hurt your job, damage your relationships, and disrupt your daily life. However, bipolar is treatable but before you can treat it, you must recognise the signs. We explain what bipolar disorder is, how to recognise it and treatment options.

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder (once known as manic depression or manic-depressive disorder) causes serious shifts in mood, energy, thinking, and behaviour, from the highs of mania on one extreme, to the lows of depression on the other. More than just a fleeting good or bad mood, the cycles of bipolar disorder last for days, weeks, or months. Unlike ordinary mood swings, the mood changes of bipolar disorder are so intense that they interfere with your ability to function.

During a manic episode, you might impulsively quit your job, charge up huge amounts on credit cards, or feel rested after sleeping two hours. During a depressive episode, you might be too tired to get out of bed, and full of self-loathing and hopelessness over being unemployed and in debt.

The causes of bipolar disorder are not completely clear, but it often appears to be hereditary. The first manic or depressive episode of bipolar disorder usually occurs in the teenage years or early adulthood.

The symptoms can be subtle and confusing and many with the disease are misdiagnosed which can cause prolonged suffering. However, with proper treatment, self-help, and support, you can function normally and lead a fulfilling life.

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Symptoms

Bipolar disorder can look very different in different people. The symptoms vary widely in their pattern, severity, and frequency. Some people are more prone to either mania or depression, while others alternate equally between the two types of episodes. Some have frequent mood disruptions, while others experience only a few over a lifetime.

There are four types of mood episodes in bipolar disorder: mania, hypomania, depression, and mixed episodes. Each type of bipolar disorder mood episode has a unique set of symptoms.

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Mania

In the manic phase of bipolar disorder, it’s common to experience feelings of heightened energy, creativity, and euphoria. If you’re experiencing a manic episode, you may talk a mile a minute, sleep very little, and be hyperactive. You may also feel like you’re all-powerful, invincible, or destined for greatness.

But while mania feels good at first, it has a tendency to spiral out of control. You may behave recklessly during a manic episode: gambling away your savings, engaging in inappropriate sexual activity, or making foolish business investments, for example.

You may also become angry, irritable, and aggressive, lashing out when others don’t go along with your plans, and blaming anyone who criticises your behavior.

Some people even become delusional or start hearing voices.

Common signs and symptoms of mania include:

Depression

In the past, bipolar depression was confused with regular depression, but a growing body of research suggests that there are significant differences between the two, especially when it comes to recommended treatments.

Most people with bipolar depression are not helped by antidepressants. In fact, there is a risk that antidepressants can make bipolar disorder worse by triggering mania or hypomania, causing rapid cycling between mood states, or interfering with other mood stabilising drugs.

Despite many similarities, certain symptoms are more common in bipolar depression than in regular depression. For example, bipolar depression is more likely to involve irritability, guilt, unpredictable mood swings, and feelings of restlessness.

With bipolar depression, you may move and speak slowly, sleep a lot, and gain weight. In addition, you’re more likely to develop psychotic depression, a condition in which you lose contact with reality, and to experience major problems in work and social functioning.

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Treatment

If you spot the symptoms of bipolar disorder in yourself or someone else, don’t wait to get help. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away; in fact, it will almost certainly get worse. Living with untreated bipolar disorder can lead to problems in everything from your career to your relationships to your health. But bipolar disorder is highly treatable, 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.

Bipolar disorder requires long-term treatment. Since bipolar disorder is a chronic, relapsing illness, it’s important to continue treatment even when you’re feeling better. Most people with bipolar disorder need medication to prevent new episodes and stay symptom-free.

There is more to treatment than medication. Medication alone is usually not enough to fully control the symptoms of bipolar disorder. The most effective treatment strategy for bipolar disorder involves a combination of medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, and social support.

It’s best to work with an experienced psychiatrist. Bipolar disorder is a complex condition. Diagnosis can be tricky and treatment is often difficult. For safety reasons, medication should be closely monitored. A psychiatrist who is skilled in bipolar disorder treatment can help you navigate these twists and turns.