The primary symptoms of bipolar disorder are quite dramatic and noticable. They often come in the form of unpredictable mood swings and have two strongly contrasting states known as manic and depressive.
manic :
Euphoria or irritability
Continuous talk
Racing thoughts
Inflated self-esteem
Inconsistent energy resulting in decreased need for sleep.
Impulsiveness (shopping, travel, promiscuous sex, high-risk business investments, fast driving).
Hallucinations and/or delusions.
depressive :
Depressed mood
Low self-esteem
Low energy level
Apathy
Feelings of sadness, loneliness, helplessness, guilt.
Slow speech, fatigue and poor coordination.
Sleep disturbances (insomnia or hypersomnia).
Suicidal thoughts
Poor concentration
Lack of interest in normal routines.
seek help
Call your health care provider immediately if you notice that you or someone you care about exhibits any of these symptoms. Many people suffering from bipolar disorder believe there is nothing wrong with them, especially during the manic stage. Health care providers can help your family members by giving advice and ways to cope when symptoms get worse.
Stigma
Due to stigma about bipolar disorder, patients are reluctant to acknowledge that they are suffering from this mental illness and do not actively seek help. Interestingly, health care providers also fail to recognize the disorder often because the symptoms of bipolar disorder seem to be exaggerated versions of normal moods. Whether it is due to the patient hiding the illness or the physician’s misdiagnosis, studies clearly demonstrate that about 75% of cases go untreated or are treated insufficiently.
Specific criteria
Thanks to the American Psychiatric Association, there is a long list of specific criteria for recognizing bipolar disorder. Evaluation of the disorder consists of investigating the patient’s and the family history of mood disorders, mental illness and suicide. Other disorders must be ruled out, particularly childhood issues like phobias, attention deficit disorder, dementia, schizophrenia and psychotic states induced by alcohol or drugs.
Drug and alcohol abuse
According to one study, drug and alcohol abuse is common in persons with bipolar disorder and can mask the symptoms. This complicates diagnosis and treatment. It is of the utmost importance that your health care provider is aware of any drug abuse when diagnosing mental illnesses like bipolar disorder because it is a strong predictor of suicide, especially in men.
Physical exam
Before your health care provider can start any treatment for bi-polar disorder, you have to be given a complete physical exam. Blood and urine tests are conducted to detect conditions that can put medical constraints on the treatment choice. A thyroid analysis is an absolute must in bipolar disorder because hyperthyroidism can be misdiagnosed as mania. One for checking the thyroid is that lithium, the principal drug treatment for bipolar disorder, is known to minimize thyroid function. To see that adequate drug levels are being reached, frequent blood tests are mandatory during treatment. These tests play a prominent role in detecting adverse reactions.
pattern in maniac depressives
Bipolar mania, hypomania and depression are symptoms of bipolar disorder. The mood swings of bipolar disorder do not follow a set pattern, for example, depression does not always follow mania. A person with bipolar disorder may experience the same mood a number of times for a period of weeks, months and even years before having the opposite mood. Also, the complexity of mood states can differ from person to person.
Hypomania
Hypomania is a less complex form of mania; it is a mood that most people do not perceive as a problem. This state may actually feel very good. You have a greater sense of well being and, in some cases, productivity levels may also increase (though this is not the case for people with bipolar disorder). Unfortunately, hypomania can evolve into mania or lead to serious depression.
