Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

Bipolar is one of the types of mood disorder associated with brain. It causes unusual shifts in energy, mood, and ability of a person. It is also referred to as maniac depression. It involves recurrent episodes of depression and mania, which recur across the lifespan. A person suffering from bipolar disease often experiences mood instability, depression and extreme mood swings. One time, they may feel very sad, worthless, helpless, despairing and hopeless and another time, they may feel like creative, hyperactive and on the top of the world. This disease is named as bipolar disorder because the mood of a person with bipolar disorder alternates between totally different extremities, such as extreme sadness and euphoric happiness. There are two types of bipolar disorder such as Bipolar I disorder and Bipolar II disorder. The first type involves episodes of severe mood swings, while the second type is a milder form. Cyclothymia is a mild bipolar disorder.

Causes

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is not known. However, various genetic, biochemical and environmental factors are supposed to be involved in triggering bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder have some physical and chemical changes in the brain. Neurotransmitters, naturally occurring brain chemicals, contribute in developing bipolar disorder. Hormonal imbalance is also responsible for this disorder. This disease may be due to a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors.

Symptoms

Symptoms of bipolar disorder are characterized by alternate patterns of depression and mania. The symptoms may vary mild to severe from person to person. There are different symptoms of bipolar disorder in maniac phase and depressive phase.

Manic Phase

A person in the maniac phase may feel very energetic, creative and hyperactive. Some of the common signs of mania are increased activity and gestures, inflated self-esteem, poor temper control, poor judgment and pressured speech. The major symptoms of manic phase are:

• Extreme optimism
• Agitation
• Euphoria
• Inflated self-esteem
• Rapid speech
• Aggressive behavior
• Racing thoughts
• Risky behavior
• Spending sprees
• Increased physical activity
• Increased sexual drive
• Increased drive to perform or achieve goals
• Decreased need for sleep
• Inability to concentrate
• Tendency to be easily distracted
• Drug abuse

Depressive Phase in Bipolar Disorder

Some people may experience more episodes of depressive phase than maniac phase. Some of the general signs of depression are excessive worry, sadness, crying spells and social withdrawal. Some major symptoms of depressive phase are as follows:

• Hopelessness
• Sadness
• Sleep problems
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Guilt
• Appetite problems
• Fatigue
• Problems in concentration
• Loss of interest in daily activities
• Chronic pain due to unknown reason

Symptoms of bipolar disorder are serious and can affect entire life of a person. Bipolar depression may result in damaged relationships, marital problems, poor performance in school or at job, and even suicide. Hence, it is very essential to seek an appropriate treatment immediately. Bipolar disorder can be diagnosed on the basis of signs and symptoms. Bipolar disorder treatment focuses on stabilizing mood swings and managing the symptoms. It can be treated with different medications such as lithium, carbamazepine, valproic acid, etc. Various therapies such as psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy and group therapy are found to be helpful the people with bipolar disorder.