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Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is made up of two ends of the mood spectrum: depression and mania. Most everyone is aware of feelings of depression – despair, guilt, unworthiness, lethargy, thoughts of death and suicide, but not as many people are aware of what bipolar mania feels like. With bipolar disorder, there are two different types of mania that someone may experience: mania and hypomania. Mania is level of euphoria that is experienced by people who are diagnosed with Bipolar I, while hypomania is a less intense form of mania that people with Bipolar II experience. But, what are the true symptoms of bipolar mania ? Most everyone knows, or has an idea about, how it feels to be depressed. They might feel lethargic, unproductive, uninterested in activities they previously enjoyed, anxious, irritable, etc. Bipolar mania, on the other hand, is when the individual feels euphoric. In fact, it might feel like the best good mood of their life. When experiencing bipolar mania,

What is bipolar? Bipolar disorder affects 5.7 million adults in the United States, which accounts for about 2.6% of the adult population. The average age onset of the disease is 25 years, but it can begin as early as childhood and as late as 40’s and 50’s. Women and men suffer from the disorder equally, and it is found among all races, and all social and ethnic classes. The Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder An individual suffering from bipolar disorder will experience extreme mood shifts. These shifts are: depression and mania. Depression Symptoms include: Feeling anxious Feelings of emptiness, unworthiness, guilt Inability to experience pleasure No longer interested in social activities with friends and family Inability to sleep – or sleeping too much Eating too much or too little, resulting in weight loss or weight gain Inability to focus and concentrate Thoughts of suicide and death Mania Symptoms include: Euphoria Extremely high energy Impatience and irritability Racing thoughts Need