5 Ways You Can Tell If Someone Is Bipolar: Recognizing Symptoms

When someone is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the world around them can often seem like a confusing maze.

There are many questions that may arise in the mind of family members, friends, and even spouses.

What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder? How will this impact my life? Will I be safe?

Here are five important things to know about this mental health disorder.

1. Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, is a mental health condition that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

There are three main types of manic and depressive episodes: classic, cyclical, and acute.

There is also a mixed episode, an episode with symptoms of both manic and depressive episodes, and the development of a new depressive episode that occurs within the same week.

THE SYMPTOMS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER

Bipolar disorder begins with a point in time where the individual is either overtired or has very little desire to do anything.

These periods of energy can last for weeks or months, and that energy may sweep across the entire spectrum of the person.

Voices and thoughts often seem to get louder and more intense, and physical symptoms, which could include weight gain, energy crashes, suicidality, or tremors, appear to be worse.

There are, however, different intents behind each episode.

Some people with this condition realize impulsivity and lackadaisical behavior with little thought behind them.

Other individuals with this illness understand their behaviors and can be empathetic and much more patient.

Whatever their diagnosis, there is an outward change that shows up when someone is taking on too much responsibility.

That outward change might signal a shift towards someone with low self-control and poor judgment.

High energy and excitement may be present as well, and this may lead to overindulgence and risky behaviors.

The Cycle of Mania and Depression During the manic episodes of bipolar disorder, this stage can last perhaps a week, especially if medications are not the first line of attack for someone with this illness.

Then, the person may feel a wave of energy and enthusiasm and be very productive for a short period of time.

These energy shifts can last for much longer periods, as previously mentioned.

Bipolar can impact anyone, regardless of age or gender

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental health condition that affects how you feel, think and behave.

Many people with bipolar disorder experience periods of both high and low moods, but these moods can also swing from one extreme to another.

The growth and development areas of a child or adult with bipolar disorder are greatly affected from one episode to the next.

Psychotic episodes, a type of mania, are almost identical in the intensity of the person’s symptoms, but they are interrupted by periods of depression.

Comparison to depressed people with bipolar disorder is difficult to understand for the obvious reason that the two conditions are so different.

Aside from the two major mood swings, there are other hardships such as changes in eating habits, insomnia, and motor function that are likely to impact every aspect of your life.

Here are some signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder.

VIRAL SYNDROME

Since manic symptoms can be so intense, a common question for those living with bipolar disorder is whether they should live with symptoms or leave the condition.

Here’s what you need to know:

There are two main arguments for either living with symptoms or leaving the illness: Manic symptoms can be life-threatening, with an estimated one in four people at high risk of suicide if left untreated.

Living with symptoms over 12 weeks might reduce depressive symptoms, especially if you follow proper treatment.

Reasons to Leave Developmentally Explained While you might be uncomfortable explaining your symptoms to your family and friends, the idea that you should be on medication is fairly sound.

Medication is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to keeping manic disorder at bay.

Certain other medical procedures, like surgery, also have an impact. During fetal development, the brain is developing rapidly.

It takes nerve cells more than seven days to form. If they aren’t available, the brain won’t continue to develop as well.

There are five types of bipolar disorder

bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic disorder, rapid cycling, and bipolar not otherwise specified (NOS).

IT’S NOT SYNCHRONIC

Some people think that people with bipolar disorder are just “happy mad” to be diagnosed with this disorder.

However, if you have this illness, you are not lucky. In fact, many people with this mental health issue are nearly twice as likely to experience a depressive episode than the general population.

However, those who are able to maintain a mood in the middle of these alternating mood swings are able to keep a normal, albeit challenging, life.

It’s important to recognize that this illness is much more than an unfortunate “happy crazy” mix of factors.

People with this mental health condition also experience more than merely a change in lifestyle.

Instead, there is a loss of approximately 5% of brain tissue, an increased risk of alcohol use disorders (which can cause violent behavior), depression, mania, and suicidal thoughts — all of which can be life-threatening.

As a result of these effects, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.

Alcohol use disorders also have serious health consequences, including high mortality rates, cardiovascular risk, and suicidality.

IT COULD BE MISDIRECTED

Many people with mood disorders believe that their symptoms are the result of an illness or stressor.

However, although symptoms a person exhibits may be a symptom of a more serious health issue, it is important to understand that this is not always the case.

One major factor that can increase the risk of mistaking a mood disorder for a heart condition or other ailment is how anxious a person becomes.

This type of preoccupation can be mistaken for a heart attack. Over time, about 20% of individuals with major depressive disorder will experience a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack.

These symptoms could be the result of other factors such as stress or substance abuse

In the United States, over 7 million people use cocaine.

In the United Kingdom, about 2.5 million people use cocaine.

In Australia, 2 percent of the population uses cocaine.

Cocaine is a stimulant that makes the user feel more alert, energetic and confident.

While there are many ways a person can use cocaine, the most common methods are injectable as pills or snorting.

Let’s face it — even the influencer class of athletes use drugs to enhance their performances, such as

EPO (which is allowed by the World Anti-Doping Agency and is used by eight grand slam tennis players),

Testosterone (in men),

Nitrates (in cycling),

Human growth hormone (in all sports),

A stimulant (in the form of pills and a cocktail known as “lean extract”) to increase endurance.

And power or drugs to enhance performance (steroids in professional sports).

We know the danger of using drugs to enhance performance, but how is this different from someone minding their own business popping a few pills or snorting them?

In some ways, our bodies are just like these athletes, and even if we don’t inject them ourselves, they’re consuming them.

If you’re concerned about your intake, maybe it’s more critical than ever to watch what you eat and drink.

The FDA doesn’t have clear guidelines around food labels, but some drugs can come with a warning like this, like caffeine: “Consumption of caffeine can cause a potentially fatal increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature if taken in excessive amounts.

Limit caffeine to one an hour and consume slowly, ideally in a meal or snack consumed slowly.”

While drugs are illegal, many substances can act similarly to them like caffeine.

Alcohol, for example, can cause jitters, anxiety, tremors, diarrhea, and increased appetite.

In contrast, it’s legal to consume alcohol in regulated amounts, as long as you’re not exceeding a specific amount.

Legal highs are another name for synthetic drugs