Are you concerned about yourself or someone you love? Bipolar disorder is among the most common mental illnesses in the world. Learn how to identify bipolar mania and find treatment that works.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
While all of us experience mood changes, those of us with bipolar disorder experience mood swings that affect daily life, relationships and even health. This disorder was once called manic depression, and is characterized by mania (highs) and depression (lows) in emotion.
Unfortunately, people with bipolar disorder are at a greater risk of committing suicide than the general population. There are many theories about what causes bipolar disorder. Most people believe that many different factors lead to bipolar disorder including changes in brain function, genetic predisposition or stress or traumatic events that contribute to mood changes.
Different Types of Bipolar Disorder
Different types of bipolar disorder include the following:
- 1. Cyclothymia: This is a mild form of bipolar disorder that involves low-grade mania and low-grade depression that lasts for two years at a time.
- 2. Bipolar I: This is the most well-known type of bipolar disorder. With Bipolar I, a person will exhibit manic episodes and depressive episodes lasting different lengths of time. A Bipolar I patient may experience hallucinations as well.
- 3. Bipolar II: This is very similar to Bipolar I, but Bipolar II patients do not have a severe manic episode. This does not usually include hallucinations of psychosis.
Some people with bipolar disorder experience mixed episodes, where they are both manic and depressive at the same time. Mixed episodes are dangerous as they may lead to suicidal attempts. Rapid cycling bipolar disorder is a bipolar disorder that causes the person to change moods rapidly, often many times within a few months.
What Are the Symptoms of Bipolar Mania?
Bipolar mania has a number of characteristics including the following:
- Euphoria and joy, or irritability and violent anger
- Loud pressured speech
- Aggressive temperament
- Appetite changes
- Increase of risky behaviors such as drinking, drug abuse, fast driving or sexual activity
- Increased spending
- Disorganized racing thoughts
- Grand ideas and inflated sense of self esteem
- Hallucinations, delusions of grandeur or psychosis
- Productive and friendly behavior that is out of the ordinary
- High creativity and creative episodes
- Increased exposure to traumatic and dangerous situations
- Increased chances of addiction, addictive behavior and alcoholism
If you or someone you care about has bipolar symptoms, there is help available and you have no time to lose. Bipolar disorder can quickly take over your life. People who have bipolar disorder typically need inpatient treatment in order to be properly treated. Inpatient treatment may sound extreme, but it is a safe place to receive effected treatment.