although this article is meant to inform people, please do not self-diagnose based on anything i say! if you think you have bipolar disorder, good on you for doing research, but make sure to reach out to a trusted professional as well. people with bipolar disorder can experience “periods of mania, hypomania (less severe version of mania), and depression,” which could last up to a week or even a couple months.
so what is “mania”? some common symptoms are
unusually elevated, irritable, or expansive mood
increased energy and activity level
racing thoughts
fast speech
decreased need for sleep
poor judgment
engaging in risky behavior
impulsivity
what would be considered the “depression” part of bipolar?
feeling sad or depressed most of the day (on nearly every day of your episode)
loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
significant changes in weight or appetite
difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
feeling restless or slowed down or hopelessness
feeling worthless
difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
these are just common symptoms and may not describe everyone with bipolar – or could even be symptoms of another condition. to help these symptoms, there is so much to do and so much help is available through different types of treatments and therapies. for example, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), and family-focused therapy. additionally, a professional might prescribe a person with bipolar some mood stabilizer medication, such as lithium, lamotrigine, and valproate. what’s more, research has shown that even lifestyle changes (that anyone can make!), like getting healthy sleep and exercising, can also help symptoms of bipolar.
as i always say: incurable does not mean untreatable! i hope this article helped you learn more about bipolar disorder. if it did, consider sharing please and subscribing to our blog if you haven't already :)
thank you to these sources for information used in this article:
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