Navigating Emotional Ups And Downs: Understanding Bipolar Disorder

Have you ever undergone an emotional rollercoaster of rapid and intense changes in your mood? Bipolar disorder is just that, with energetic highs or mania and low mood levels or depression as the main characteristics of this mental condition.

What you need to know:

What is bipolar disorder?
Symptoms of bipolar disorder
Possible treatments for bipolar disorder

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder_Activ Living Community Bipolar disorder is a mental condition that causes several changes in your mood, energy levels, focus and activity patterns. These shifts can make it extremely hard to carry out daily chores and tasks. It has three main types of episodes:

Depressive episodes: Feelings of sadness, pain, and hopelessness.
Manic episodes: Feelings of joy, happiness, and increased confidence and energy.
Hypomanic episodes: Mild manic episodes that last for a short time.

It’s not uncommon for anyone to experience mood changes at some point in time. However, bipolar disorder is much more intense than normal mood swings. Some people can also experience psychosis, which includes delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations.

Here are the three main bipolar disorder types:

Bipolar I disorder: This bipolar disorder type involves manic episodes that last for at least 7 days. It is followed by depressive episodes that can last up to 2 weeks. You can also experience a mix of them at the same time.
Bipolar II disorder: This disorder type features depressive and hypomanic episodes. These episodes are typically less severe than those of bipolar I disorder.
Cyclothymia: These bipolar disorder types mainly come with recurring depressive and hypomanic episodes less intense than bipolar I disorder.

Symptoms of bipolar disorder

BPD_Activ Living Community Here are the bipolar disorder symptoms that you are likely to experience:

Manic episodes

Manic episodes or hypomania are elevated levels of mood that include bipolar disorder symptoms like:

Sleep disorder
Missing work or school
Feeling over-confident
Impaired judgment
Being sociable in an aggressive manner
Feeling euphoric
Talking a lot in a short period of time
Jumping from one topic to another rapidly
Having racing thoughts that are not in your control

Depressive episodes

Here are some of the bipolar disorder symptoms that you might experience during an episode of bipolar depression:

Extreme sadness
Insomnia
A feeling of gloom, hopelessness and despair
Anxiety and overthinking
Overeating
Sudden weight loss or weight gain
Difficulty in focusing and remembering past details
A sense of misplaced guilt
An inability to enjoy daily activities
An inability to respond to challenges, leading to poor performance

Possible treatments for bipolar disorder

There are many bipolar disorder treatments responsible for stabilizing your mood and the severity of your symptoms. Treatments for bipolar disorder aim to help people function effectively. It includes:

Psycho-therapy
Medications
Lifestyle modifications, like changes in dietary patterns
Physical exercises
Counselling

You can also be prescribed several medications that can help stabilize your mood. They might include:

Anti-depressants
Mood stabilizers
Anticonvulsants
Medication for sleep and anxiety

Your doctor can alter medications to help you adjust to the symptoms.

Bipolar disorder is a common mental health condition that can disrupt your daily activities. However, treatments and lifestyle changes can improve the quality of life.

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