Bipolar what is mania

During a manic episode, the mania is so intense that it can interfere with your daily activities. They may also engage in high-risk behaviors, such as sexual indiscretions despite being in a committed relationship. Though less severe than a manic episode, a hypomanic phase is still an event in which your behavior differs from your normal state.

The differences will be extreme enough that people around you may notice that something is wrong. Depressive symptoms in someone with bipolar disorder are like those of someone with clinical depression. They may include extended periods of sadness and hopelessness. You may also experience a loss of interest in people you once enjoyed spending time with and activities you used to like.

Other symptoms include:. Abnormal physical characteristics of the brain or an imbalance in certain brain chemicals may be among the main causes. As with many medical conditions, bipolar disorder tends to run in families. If you have a parent or sibling with bipolar disorder, your risk of developing it is higher.

The search continues for the genes which may be responsible for bipolar disorder. Researchers also believe that severe stress, drug or alcohol abuse, or severely upsetting experiences may trigger bipolar disorder. These experiences can include childhood abuse or the death of a loved one. A psychiatrist or other mental health professional typically diagnoses bipolar disorder.

The diagnosis will include a review of both your medical history and any symptoms you have that are related to mania and depression. A trained professional will know what questions to ask. They may be able to answer questions about your behavior that you may not be able to answer easily or accurately. If you have symptoms that seem like bipolar 1 or bipolar 2, you can always start by telling your doctor.

Your doctor may refer you to a mental health specialist if your symptoms appear serious enough. A blood test may also be part of the diagnostic process.

There are no markers for bipolar disorder in the blood, but a blood test and a comprehensive physical exam may help rule out other possible causes for your behavior. Doctors usually treat bipolar disorder with a combination of medications and psychotherapy. Between episodes of depression and mania, you may sometimes have periods where you have a "normal" mood. If your mood swings last a long time but are not severe enough to be classed as bipolar disorder, you may be diagnosed with a mild form of bipolar disorder called cyclothymia.

Bipolar disorder is a condition of extremes. A person with bipolar disorder may be unaware they're in the manic phase. After the episode is over, they may be shocked at their behaviour. But while mania feels good at first, it has a tendency to spiral out of control.

You may behave recklessly during a manic episode: gambling away your savings , engaging in inappropriate sexual activity, or making foolish business investments, for example. Some people even become delusional or start hearing voices. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania.

However, hypomania can result in bad decisions that harm your relationships, career, and reputation. In addition, hypomania often escalates to full-blown mania or is followed by a major depressive episode. In the past, bipolar depression was lumped in with regular depression , but a growing body of research suggests that there are significant differences between the two, especially when it comes to recommended treatments.

Most people with bipolar depression are not helped by antidepressants. In fact, there is a risk that antidepressants can make bipolar disorder worse—triggering mania or hypomania, causing rapid cycling between mood states, or interfering with other mood stabilizing drugs.

Despite many similarities, certain symptoms are more common in bipolar depression than in regular depression. For example, bipolar depression is more likely to involve irritability, guilt, unpredictable mood swings, and feelings of restlessness. With bipolar depression, you may move and speak slowly, sleep a lot, and gain weight. A mixed episode of bipolar disorder features symptoms of both mania or hypomania and depression. Common signs of a mixed episode include depression combined with agitation, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, distractibility, and racing thoughts.

This combination of high energy and low mood makes for a particularly high risk of suicide. Mood swings can occur very quickly, like a rollercoaster randomly moving from high to low and back again over a period of days or even hours.

Rapid cycling can leave you feeling dangerously out of control and most commonly occurs if your bipolar disorder symptoms are not being adequately treated. Bipolar I Disorder mania or a mixed episode — This is the classic manic-depressive form of the illness, characterized by at least one manic episode or mixed episode. Usually—but not always—Bipolar I Disorder also involves at least one episode of depression.

Instead, the illness involves episodes of hypomania and severe depression. Cyclothymia hypomania and mild depression — Cyclothymia is a milder form of bipolar disorder that consists of cyclical mood swings.

However, the symptoms are less severe than full-blown mania or depression. Living with untreated bipolar disorder can lead to problems in everything from your career to your relationships to your health. But bipolar disorder is highly treatable, so diagnosing the problem and starting treatment as early as possible can help prevent these complications. Mania and hypomania often turn destructive, hurting you and the people around you.

Bipolar disorder requires long-term treatment. Most people with bipolar disorder need medication to prevent new episodes and stay symptom-free. There is more to treatment than medication. Medication alone is usually not enough to fully control the symptoms of bipolar disorder. The most effective treatment strategy for bipolar disorder involves a combination of medication, therapy, lifestyle changes , and social support.

But in order to successfully manage bipolar disorder, you have to make smart choices. Your lifestyle and daily habits can have a significant impact on your moods and may even lessen your need for medication.. Get educated. Learn as much as you can about bipolar disorder. Get moving. Doctors and nurses in white are milling about all around me.

The lights are so bright. Doors open and close, open and close constantly. They give me a snack: peanut butter crackers. More dry, flavorless food. They up my dosage of medication for bipolar disorder and send me to bed. Will I be able to sleep at all? The night nurse has stopped by to check on me every 20 minutes since I crawled into bed. Bipolar mania can be a scary thing to experience. But the good news is that bipolar disorder is treatable.

I go to bed early and pay close attention to my sleep patterns. I plan healthy meals for the week and never miss a dose of medication. Bipolar disorder can affect people from all walks of life. I know you can, too. Mara Robinson is a freelance marketing communications specialist with more than 15 years of experience. Light therapy for acne uses red and blue light to help heal your skin and prevent further outbreaks.

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