A person with bipolar disorder will experience changes in mood, free energy, and activity levels that can make twenty-four hours-to-day living difficult.

Bipolar disorder can crusade severe disruption to a person's life, but the impact varies between individuals. With advisable treatment and support, many people with this condition alive a full and productive life.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), bipolar disorder affects over ten million people in the United States or around 2.8% of the population.

On boilerplate, a person volition receive a diagnosis effectually the age of 25 years, just symptoms tin can appear during the teenage years or later on in life. It affects males and females equally.

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A person with bipolar disorder may experience "highs" and "lows" in quick succession.

The National Institute of Mental Health describe the main symptoms of bipolar disorder as alternate episodes of high and low mood. Changes in energy levels, sleep patterns, power to focus, and other features can dramatically impact a person'due south beliefs, work, relationships, and other aspects of life.

Most people experience mood changes at some time, simply those related to bipolar disorder are more intense than regular mood changes, and other symptoms can occur. Some people experience psychosis, which tin can include delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia.

Between episodes, the person'due south mood may be stable for months or years, especially if they are post-obit a handling programme.

Treatment enables many people with bipolar disorder to piece of work, report, and alive a full and productive life. Still, when treatment helps a person feel better, they may stop taking their medication. Then, the symptoms can return.

Some aspects of bipolar disorder can make a person feel skillful. During an elevated mood, they may find they are more sociable, talkative, and creative.

However, an elevated mood is unlikely to persist. Fifty-fifty if information technology does, it may be hard to sustain attention or follow through with plans. This can make it hard to follow a projection through to the end.

According to the International Bipolar Association, symptoms vary between individuals. For some people, an episode can final for several months or years. Others may experience "highs" and "lows" at the same time or in quick succession.

In "rapid cycling" bipolar disorder, the person will have iv or more episodes within a year.

Mania or hypomania

Hypomania and mania are elevated moods. Mania is more intense than hypomania.

Symptoms can include:

  • impaired judgment
  • feeing wired
  • sleeping piddling only not feeling tired
  • a sense of distraction or boredom
  • missing work or school
  • underperforming at work or schoolhouse
  • feeling able to practise anything
  • being sociable and forthcoming, sometimes aggressively and then
  • engaging in risky beliefs
  • increased libido
  • feeling exhilarated or euphoric
  • having loftier levels of self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-importance
  • talking a lot and apace
  • jumping from i topic to another in chat
  • having "racing" thoughts that come and go rapidly, and bizarre ideas that the person may act upon
  • denying or not realizing that anything is wrong

Some people with bipolar disorder may spend a lot of money, use recreational drugs, consume alcohol, and participate in dangerous and inappropriate activities.

For more on the differences between mania and hypomania, click here.

What are the early signs of bipolar disorder in children and teens?

Depressive symptoms

During an episode of bipolar depression, a person may experience:

  • a feeling of gloom, despair, and hopelessness
  • extreme sadness
  • insomnia and sleeping problems
  • feet about minor issues
  • pain or physical bug that do not respond to treatment
  • a sense of guilt, which may be misplaced
  • eating more than or eating less
  • weight loss or weight proceeds
  • extreme tiredness, fatigue, and listlessness
  • an inability to enjoy activities or interests that normally requite pleasance
  • difficulty focusing and remembering
  • irritability
  • sensitivity to noises, smells, and other things that others may not notice
  • an inability to face up going to work or school, perchance leading to underperformance

In astringent cases, the private may think most ending their life, and they may act on those thoughts.

Is information technology bipolar disorder or low? Discover out more.

Psychosis

If a "high" or "low" episode is very intense, the person may experience psychosis. They may have trouble differentiating between fantasy and reality.

According to the International Bipolar Foundation, psychosis symptoms during a high include hallucinations, which involve hearing or seeing things that are not there and delusions, which are false but strongly felt beliefs. A person who experiences delusions may believe they are famous, have high-ranking social connections, or accept special powers.

During a depressive or "low" episode, they may believe they take committed a crime or are ruined and penniless.

Information technology is possible to manage all these symptoms with appropriate treatment.

Bipolar disorder tin can also bear upon memory. Larn more here.

A person may receive a diagnosis of one of three broad types of bipolar disorder. Co-ordinate to NAMI, symptoms occur on a spectrum, and the distinction between the types is not always clear-cut.

Bipolar I disorder

For a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder:

  • The individual must have experienced at to the lowest degree one manic episode.
  • The person may have had a previous major depressive episode.
  • The medico must rule out other disorders, such as schizophrenia and delusional disorder.

Bipolar Two disorder

Bipolar II disorder involves periods of hypomania, just low is often the dominant state.

For a diagnosis of bipolar Two disorder, a person must have had:

  • one or more episodes of depression
  • at least one hypomanic episode
  • no other diagnosis to explain the mood shifts

A person with hypomania may feel adept and role well, but their mood will not be stable, and there is a risk that depression will follow.

People sometimes think of bipolar II disorder as a milder version. For many, yet, information technology is only different. As NAMI indicate, people with bipolar II disorder may feel more than frequent episodes of depression than people with bipolar I disorder.

Cyclothymia

The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom note that cyclothymia has similar features to bipolar disorder, but the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) classifies it separately. Information technology involves hypomania and low, just the changes are less intense.

All the same, cyclothymia tin bear on a person'southward daily life, and a doc tin can provide treatment.

Acquire more about the bipolar spectrum.

A medical professional volition diagnose bipolar disorder using criteria gear up out in the DSM-five.

The National Institue of Mental Health (NIMH) explain that in club to receive a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder, a person must have had symptoms for at least 7 days, or less if symptoms were astringent enough to need hospitalization. They may also have had a depressive episode lasting at least 2 weeks.

To receive a diagnosis of bipolar II, a person volition have experienced at least one cycle of hypomania and depression.

A doctor may deport out a concrete examination and some diagnostic tests, including blood and urine tests, to help rule out other causes.

It can exist challenging for a physician to diagnose bipolar disorder, as people are more probable to seek help with a depression mood than a loftier mood. As a consequence, it tin exist hard for them to distinguish it from depression.

If the person has psychosis, a doctor may misdiagnose their condition as schizophrenia.

Other complications that may occur with bipolar disorder are:

  • use of drugs or alcohol to cope with symptoms
  • post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • anxiety disorder
  • attending-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

NIMH urge healthcare providers to look for signs of mania in the person's history, to forbid misdiagnosis. Some antidepressants can trigger mania in susceptible people.

A person who receives a diagnosis of bipolar disorder has a lifelong diagnosis. They may savor long periods of stability, but they will always live with the condition.

Learn more than here about bipolar disorder versus schizophrenia.

Handling aims to stabilize the person's mood and reduce the severity of symptoms. The goal is to assistance the person function effectively in daily life.

Treatment involves a combination of therapies, including:

  • medication
  • counseling
  • physical intervention
  • lifestyle remedies

It can take time to become a correct diagnosis and find a suitable handling, as individuals react differently, and symptoms vary widely.

Managing bipolar disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic may exist challenging. Here, get some tips on how to cope.

Drug treatment

Drug treatments can help stabilize mood and manage symptoms. A medico will oftentimes prescribe a combination of:

  • mood stabilizers, such equally lithium
  • antidepressants
  • second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs)
  • anticonvulsants, to relieve mania
  • medication to help with slumber or anxiety

The medico may need to conform the medication over time. Some drugs have side effects, and they tin affect individuals differently. If an individual has concerns nigh their drug treatment, they should talk to their doc.

A person must:

  • tell the dr. about any other mediations they are using, to reduce the risk of interactions and adverse furnishings
  • follow the doctor'south instructions regarding medication and treatment
  • discuss whatsoever concerns about adverse effects, and if they feel the handling is working
  • continue taking medication unless the physician says it is rubber to end
  • acquit in mind that the drugs can have time to work

If the person discontinues their treatment, symptoms may worsen.

Psychotherapy and counseling

Psychotherapy tin assistance relieve symptoms and equip a person to manage bipolar disorder.

Through cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) and other approaches, the private tin learn to:

  • recognize and accept steps to manage key triggers, such as stress
  • place early symptoms of an episode and have steps to manage it
  • piece of work on factors that help maintain a stable mood for as long as possible
  • engage the aid of family members, teachers, and colleagues

These steps can help a person maintain positive relationships at dwelling house and work. For children and teens with bipolar disorder, a doctor may recommend family therapy.

Find out more than nearly treatments for bipolar depression.

Hospital treatment

Some people may need to spend time in the hospital if there is a risk of them harming themselves or others.

If other treatments take not helped, a md may prescribe electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Lifestyle remedies

Some lifestyle choices tin can assistance maintain a stable mood and manage symptoms. They include:

  • maintaining a regular routine
  • following a healthful and varied nutrition
  • establishing a regular sleep pattern and taking steps to prevent sleep disturbance
  • getting regular exercise

Some people use supplements, but information technology is essential to discuss this with a doctor first. Some alternative remedies can collaborate with the drugs used for bipolar disorder. They may make symptoms worse.

Get some tips here on taking care of a parent with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder appears to result from a combination of factors.

Genetic factors: Bipolar disorder is more common in those who have a family member with the condition. A number of genetic features may be involved.

Biological traits: Research suggests that imbalances in neurotransmitters or hormones that touch the brain may play a office.

Environmental factors: Life events, such every bit corruption, mental stress, a "pregnant loss," or another traumatic issue, may trigger an initial episode in a susceptible person.

Bipolar disorder is a relatively common but serious mental health condition that involves changes in mood, energy levels, and attention, alongside other symptoms.

It can severely disrupt a person's life, simply handling can drastically improve the outlook.

Treatment may non eliminate mood changes entirely, but working closely with a doctor can make symptoms more manageable and maximize quality of life.

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