Bipolar Disorder Signs
Bipolar disorder symptoms can be scary, but take heart because its treatable. Bipolar disorder can be treated with the proper interventions. Usually, a combination of drug therapy and psychotherapy is used.
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
When you hear bipolar, there are two things that usually come to mind first. These are manic highs and depressive lows. A period of normality usually falls between both these extremes.
Manic Phase
You may experience extremely high energy where you feel as if your brain and body were suddenly put on high speed. Here, your thoughts and movements would be very quick. Though this may feel pleasant, it can also be quite dangerous and damaging. One of the worst things about being in a manic state is that you can do very compulsive things to family and friends without even thinking about it first. For instance, spending money that you don’t have simply because you want something, taking drugs and even engaging in behavior such as promiscuous sex and so forth.
Depression
Like almost everything else, bipolar disorder also has its lows or opposites. This is a time of depression. Here there are excessive feelings of depression, low self-esteem, the inability to feel any of the pleasures of life and fatigue. The symptoms of depression here can be triggered by the guilty feelings of what you may have done in your manic state.
Different Types of Bipolar Disorder
There are different levels or types of bipolar. There are some who go through the phases of mania and depression very quickly while others go through it pretty slowly. The ones who go through the phases fast are constantly going up and down. From personal relationships to work life, these severe mood swings can impact life in a negative way.
Notice The Signs
If you or someone you love suddenly has trouble sleeping and has a lot of excess energy for no apparent reason, be aware that this may be the beginning of a manic phase. Get to a doctor and get diagnosed as soon as you can. It’s much easier to treat the disorder early on than it is later. Not only can delaying treatment cause symptoms to get worse and even cause psychosis, but this type of disorder is very wearing on loved ones.
Seek Early Treatment
It’s best to nip it in the bud as early as you can if you notice problems. This is because even though the depressive phase arguably feels worse to the person with the bipolar disorder, the manic phase can actually be far more damaging to friends and family members.
It affects family because the very distinct mood swings would affect any relationship. In addition to that, the mania associated with this disorder can cause irresponsible behavior that would have lasting consequences. For example, excessive shopping, reckless driving and other activities that can cause financial difficulties.
Don’t Be Afraid to Get Help
Finally, don’t be afraid to get help if you think you or someone else may be suffering from bipolar disorder. It’s true that there is still a stigma attached to bipolar disorder and other similar diseases, but ignoring it is not going to make it go away or get better. Get help for yourself or your loved one as soon as you see that there is a problem. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll prevent lasting problems and consequences that can come from untreated bipolar disorder, too.