Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that brings extreme mood swings including euphoric or depressive episodes to an individual. The person undergoing bipolar disorder might experience vigorous waves of energy and enthusiasm which spirals down to days of depressive episodes, hopelessness, disinterest in general, etc. This could happen at an interval ranging from days to weeks, months or several times a year and could be caused due to or be triggered by factors such as hereditary, life events, stress. Bipolar disorder can be managed by early diagnosis, treatment, and therapy. Early detection will minimize the overall effects on quality of life, relationships, family, and career.
Some of the common symptoms and risks of bipolar disorder include episodes of:
1. Loss Of Interest & Enthusiasm
People struggling with bipolar disorder often find themselves losing interest in activities that was previously enjoyable such as watching TV serials, reading the newspaper, listening to music etc. They lack their usual enthusiasm in daily activities which keeps them from being functional or routine. They suddenly don’t seem to enjoy peoples company, social activities or going outside for functions or to visit friends/relatives.
2. Change In Appetite
In certain cases, sudden fluctuations in weight occur, which could result in significant loss or gain of weight. The individual can develop an increase appetite or a decreased appetite depending on whether they are in the euphoric phase or depressive phase of Bipolar disorder. Some develop sudden carb/sweet craving, frequently hungry and demanding food, frequently eating junk food.
3. Sleep Issues
This not only means insomnia and trouble falling asleep, which although is a prevalent symptom but also means staying in bed too tired to get up for several days. In the euphoric phase, people feel a reduced need to sleep, they seem to be very active throughout the day and night. They are taking up multiple tasks, thinking about new business ventures or relationships. In the depressive phase, the person might feel tired, lethargic and unwilling to get up. Hence there will be a dysfunctional sleeping routine which could be mentally and physically exhausting.
4. Pessimism & Hopelessness
The person suffering from bipolar disorder sometimes tends to see the world in a glass-half-empty kind of way and places zero hopes on humanity and their own future. Even though they might be leading a productive life with relationships and financial and personal independence – but they might fail to find meaning in any of it on certain days.
5. Suicidal Thoughts
This seems to be one of the more serious symptoms to look out for. Living in an irregular, confused state of mind where a person just can’t grab control over their life could push people to extreme thoughts of self-harm in certain cases. Any such thoughts should be immediately acknowledged, and proper help should be sought out at the earliest. For people who are living with individuals having bipolar disorders, remember to be there with them through such episodes and seek professional help without delay.
6. Distraction And The Need To Do A Lot
A bipolar individual during their manic episodes feels the lack of focus in any activity they do, keeping them distracted from a single stream of thought, hence developing the need to jump from one activity to another as soon as possible. They rarely complete any one activity. They sometimes even indulge in risky activities such as unsafe sexual practices and negligent driving. They tend to stay energetic even with little or no sleep at all.
7. Aggressively Social & Talkative
Sometimes individuals who do not engage much in conversations seem to suddenly be sociable and extremely talkative one fine morning. This could be a symptom of bipolar disorder, where the individual shifts from a depressive episode to a manic one where they instantly feel the need to put themselves out there and catch up with everything. They will start to focus a lot on their grooming, start wearing new or festive clothes and may even show a much higher interest in sex.
8. Missing Work Or Classes
If you find anyone else missing chunks of workdays during a month and if it goes on regularly – it is better to check on them as this could be a potential symptom. Bipolar individuals tend to be extremely productive on certain days but find themselves pinned to bed on other days. Most of them go unnoticed as they make up for all the lost days at a go, but this could in turn be exhausting and stressful for them.
9. Hallucinations
In extreme cases, a person experiencing bipolar disorder could hallucinate and be delusional about things, which is connected to their impaired judgment and impulsive and reckless thought process during their manic episodes. This could also come as a result of substance abuse which some resort to coping with the fluctuations.
10. Constant Disconnection With The Self
A bipolar person does not always have the privilege to enjoy a consistent lifestyle and routine moods and habits which in turn keeps them confused about their own self and abilities. They tend to feel extremely confident and cheerful about life one day and the next they spiral down into self-doubts and anxiety. This makes them feel like a stranger to themselves. If a person seems regularly confused about themselves and their abilities, especially in their late twenties, in rare cases this could be a symptom of bipolar disorder.
Some risk factors that could result in an individual developing bipolar disorder are:
- Genetic factors
- Substance abuse
- Traumatic life events
- Stressful professional /family life
It is a myth that bipolar disorder is confined to moods and that it is a challenge to live with it or overcome it. Bipolar disorder transcends beyond these and affects sex drives, appetite, memory power, etc. There are people with bipolar disorder who are living productive lives which proves that bipolar disorder can be managed, with the help of a professional and the support of loved ones who understand the struggles of the disorder.
