Bipolar Disorder - 7 Signs You Should Be Aware of

Symptoms for Bipolar disorder varies from patient to patient. Bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 can vary in terms of signs and symptoms. Both diseases have a different set of symptoms and they are diagnosed according to the merit of the symptoms.

Bipolar 1
Bipolar 1 is characterised by a manic episode. This may be followed by a hypomanic or depressive instance. Symptoms of mania can cause major impairment in life and extreme cases may require hospitalisation. Bipolar 1 patients can suffer from psychosis as well.

Bipolar 2
Bipolar 2 is characterised by a hypomanic instance that lasts for at least four days and one depressive instance lasting for a minimum of two weeks. Bipolar 2 doesn’t involve a manic episode. Frequent mood swings and violent behaviour can be major challenge in a patient’s life.

Warning signs of manic and hypomanic behaviour:
a. Quick passing thoughts
b. Unusual talkativeness
c. Distraction
d. Increased social activity
e. Inflated sense of self-esteem

Symptoms of bipolar disorder

1. Anxious distress: Apprehensions about not finishing a task on time, feeling of restlessness, feeling of losing control, difficulty in concentrating due to distress, fearing an awful event will occur in the near future, etc., are key symptoms of anxiety distress.
2. Melancholic features: Patients suffering from bipolar disorder like to be left alone. They may not seek pleasure in any activity and even good things may not have much effect on them.
3. Catatonia: This is a condition wherein, a person stops reacting to the environment. Not speaking and holding unusual body positions are some signs of these symptoms. There might be a tendency of mimicking too.
4. Psychosis: This is one of the classical symptoms of bipolar disease. It is characterised by hallucination, constant depression and delusions.
5. Seasonal pattern: There is a pattern of manic, hypomanic and depressive episodes throughout the year. The pattern might change within a month or season.
6. Rapid cycling: The number of mood swings can exceed four or more times in a single year.
7. Peripartum onset: This is a condition where bipolar disorder symptoms are witnessed in a pregnant woman during pregnancy or within the four weeks following delivery.

Symptoms in children: It is difficult to find symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and teens. Along with bipolar disorder, kids are most often diagnosed with other mental health problems as well. The problems can result from stress, trauma or chemical imbalance of the brain. Perhaps the biggest symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and teens are their frequent mood swings, chronic depression and feeling of despair. There might be a tendency of oversleeping as well. Reaching out to a doctor or professional help is very necessary for cases related to children and teens. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a psychiatrist and ask a free question.