What It Is Like to Live with Bipolar Disorder – Everything You Need to Know

Bipolar Disorder is a serious but often misunderstood mental disorder, causing dramatic shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels. These shifts normally consist of manic and depression stages, but there can also be periods of hypomanic and mixed episodes.

A person with manic episodes might experience extreme overconfidence and happiness, with bouts of irritability and anger. These periods are accompanied by racing thoughts, insomnia, phases of being impulsive, and the diagnosed may even talk faster than normal. A hypomanic episode is similar to manic episode, but these tend to be shorter and are less severe.

A depressive episode has feelings of being sad, loneliness, and low self-esteem. Someone in the middle of a depressive episode loses interest in things they typically enjoy and often has difficulty focusing, will sleep less, and may even have suicidal thoughts. 

A mixed episode includes both the symptoms of mania and depression at the same time.

Types of bipolar disorder

Bipolar is considered to occur on a spectrum and there are five types:
  1. Bipolar I Disorder
    “During my mania, I feel like a god. I feel like I can do anything, so my self-worth skyrockets. I can’t explain it.”
    A manic or a mixed episode might last at least a week, or it can get severe enough and might require immediate medical care. In addition, it can be accompanied by depressive episodes.
  2. Bipolar II Disorder
    I turn into this grumpy old man. I’ve contemplated suicide and have attempted it once before. But the more I am aware of the problem, the more I know that the depression is temporary”In Bipolar II, a person experiences both depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, without full manic or mixed episodes.
  3. Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (BP-NOS)
    Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder that technically doesn’t meet the criteria for any specific type fall under BP-NOS.
  4. Cyclothymia
    Hypomanic and depressive symptoms that do not come under the criteria of mania, hypomania, or depressive episode, and is on and off for at least two years may be diagnosed as Cyclothymia.
  5. Rapid-Cycling Bipolar Disorder
    It is defined as four or more manic, depressive, or hypomanic episodes in a single year. A rapid cycle can have mood swings that can quickly go from low to high and then back again in a few days or sometimes even hours.
Bipolar Disorder is simply not out of control highs or suicidal lows most of the time, it is a mix that falls in between. It is often a lifelong struggle. Fortunately, the more you learn about the condition, the easier it will be to offer support and the type of care needed. There is no instant cure for it, but treatment can help control symptoms. These can include anti-anxiety medication, exercise, and nutrition. Many people also benefit from counseling and support groups.  

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