Symptoms - Bipolar disorder - NHS

Bipolar disorder is characterised by extreme mood swings. These can range from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression). Episodes of mania and ... Skiptomaincontent Home Mentalhealth Mentalhealthconditions Bipolardisorder Backto Bipolardisorder Symptoms-Bipolardisorder Bipolardisorderischaracterisedbyextrememoodswings.Thesecanrangefromextremehighs(mania)toextremelows(depression).Episodesofmaniaanddepressionoftenlastforseveralweeksormonths. DepressionDuringaperiodofdepression,yoursymptomsmayinclude:feelingsad,hopelessorirritablemostofthetimelackingenergydifficultyconcentratingandrememberingthingslossofinterestineverydayactivitiesfeelingsofemptinessorworthlessnessfeelingsofguiltanddespairfeelingpessimisticabouteverythingself-doubtbeingdelusional,havinghallucinationsanddisturbedorillogicalthinkinglackofappetitedifficultysleepingwakingupearlysuicidalthoughts ManiaThemanicphaseofbipolardisordermayinclude:feelingveryhappy,elatedoroverjoyedtalkingveryquicklyfeelingfullofenergyfeelingself-importantfeelingfullofgreatnewideasandhavingimportantplansbeingeasilydistractedbeingeasilyirritatedoragitatedbeingdelusional,havinghallucinationsanddisturbedorillogicalthinkingnotfeelinglikesleepingnoteatingdoingthingsthatoftenhavedisastrousconsequences– suchasspendinglargesumsofmoneyonexpensiveandsometimesunaffordableitemsmakingdecisionsorsayingthingsthatareoutofcharacterandthatothersseeasbeingriskyorharmful PatternsofdepressionandmaniaIfyouhavebipolardisorder,youmayhaveepisodesofdepressionmoreregularlythanepisodesofmania,orviceversa.Betweenepisodesofdepressionandmania,youmaysometimeshaveperiodswhereyouhavea"normal"mood.Thepatternsarenotalwaysthesameandsomepeoplemayexperience:rapidcycling – whereapersonwithbipolardisorderrepeatedlyswingsfromahightoalowphasequicklywithouthavinga"normal"periodinbetweenmixedstate – whereapersonwithbipolardisorderexperiencessymptomsof depressionandmaniatogether;forexample,overactivitywithadepressedmoodIfyourmoodswingslastalongtimebutarenotsevereenoughtobeclassedasbipolardisorder,youmaybediagnosedwithamildformofbipolardisordercalledcyclothymia. LivingwithbipolardisorderBipolardisorderisaconditionofextremes. Apersonwithbipolardisordermaybeunawarethey'reinthemanicphase.Aftertheepisodeisover,theymaybeshockedattheirbehaviour.Butatthetime,theymaybelieveotherpeople arebeingnegativeorunhelpful.Somepeoplewithbipolardisorderhavemorefrequentandsevereepisodesthanothers. Theextremenatureoftheconditionmeans stayinginajobmaybedifficultandrelationshipsmaybecomestrained.There'salsoanincreasedriskofsuicide.Duringepisodesofmaniaanddepression,someonewithbipolardisordermayexperiencestrangesensations,suchasseeing,hearingorsmellingthingsthatarenotthere(hallucinations).Theymayalsobelievethingsthatseemirrationaltootherpeople(delusions).Thesetypesofsymptomsareknownas psychosisorapsychoticepisode.Findoutmoreaboutlivingwithbipolardisorder Morein Bipolardisorder Overview-Bipolardisorder Symptoms-Bipolardisorder Causes-Bipolardisorder Diagnosis-Bipolardisorder Treatment-Bipolardisorder Livingwith-Bipolardisorder Pagelastreviewed:14March2019 Nextreviewdue:14March2022