The Importance Of Recognizing Bipolar Symptoms
In order to get the right treatment, it's important to learn how to diagnose bipolar disorder. Here are some of the most common symptoms of this mood disorder.
An Introduction To Bipolar Disorder
The Diagnosis: Recognizing Bipolar Symptoms
What Causes It?
How To Treat It?
Tips for Coping With a Diagnosis Of Bipolar Disorder
Many people don't know what bipolar disorder is or how it differs from other mental disorders. You may have heard someone say they're "bipolar" after an emotional outburst or been told by a doctor that you have "bipolar tendencies. If you are wondering what this diagnosis means, it's important to have a firm handle on the symptoms that define the disorder and how they affect your life.
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is a mental illness that causes episodes of depression and mania. Symptoms during depressive episodes include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness; changes in appetite; sleeping disturbances; trouble concentrating and making decisions; suicidal thoughts; and anxiety. During periods of mania – also known as hypomania – you may feel very little emotion or even experience delirium or hallucinations. You may feel energetic and euphoric, but you can also become irritable or anxious.
The Diagnosis: Recognizing Bipolar Symptoms
One of the most important ways to make a diagnosis of bipolar disorder is by taking a complete medical and psychiatric history, including any family history of mental health issues. You may feel uncomfortable bringing up the subject with your doctor because it can be embarrassing to talk about how you're feeling. But if you don't mention something, your doctor won't be able to help with your diagnosis.
During a medical history, your doctor will ask about other physical conditions and medications you're taking. You may also be asked about:
The type and intensity of your symptoms.
How long you've had them.
Any other medical symptoms that seem to be linked to your mood disorder. These include headaches, digestive problems, and weight gain or loss.
Whether the symptoms have changed over time or if they've gotten worse gradually. For instance, if you used to feel very sad but your symptoms suddenly worsened in one week, this could indicate a different medical cause for the depression. Sometimes changes in medication can cause changes in moods and symptoms.
Whether you have a history of excessive drinking or drug use.
Any possible stressors or traumatic events that you may have experienced.
Any family history of mental health issues (this is often an important clue for doctors, because bipolar disorder tends to run in families).
Your doctor will ask about your lifestyle and whether there are any factors that might be affecting your mood. And finally, he or she will ask about other symptoms including some that may seem unrelated to mood issues, such as:
Headaches, including migraines and cluster headaches. These may be caused by extremely high or low levels of stress hormones in the brain. They can also be caused by certain medications used to treat bipolar disorder.
Trouble concentrating. Side effects of certain medications can cause disorientation, drowsiness, and forgetfulness. Forgetting to take your medication or scheduling an appointment for a checkup can also be a symptom of low blood sugar resulting from taking too many drugs.
What Causes It?
It is not known what causes bipolar disorder, but studies suggest that there may be a genetic element in some families. There are also physical and environmental factors that may contribute to it, including:
Abuse as a child or teen that disturbs the normal development of the brain and makes it more vulnerable to bipolar disorder later in life.
Exposure to environmental toxins, including cigarette smoke and lead. Childhood exposure to high amounts of lead may cause low IQs, attention problems, hyperactivity, and learning disabilities.
Serotonin imbalances in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects mood, sleep cycles, sexual desire, appetite, and pain sensitivity.
Finding The Right Treatment: Medication Vs. Therapy
There is no cure for bipolar disorder but there are treatments available to lessen the symptoms of both depression and mania. Some drugs work better than others depending on the individual's symptoms; your doctor will usually prescribe several medications at once and adjust them as needed to find what works best for you.
Medications used to treat bipolar disorder may include:
Antidepressants, also called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors – or SSRIs – have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. They can be helpful for treating symptoms of mania, but not for all patients. Because antidepressants are often an option for patients who don't respond well to other medications, they are considered first-line treatments.
Beta blockers like Propranolol block excessive activity in the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling blood pressure and heart rate and helping your body regulate its functions. They're primarily used to treat mania, but they can also be helpful when used in combination with other medications.
Mood stabilizers like Lamictal help to reduce the intensity of mood changes. They're usually prescribed for patients with severe symptoms who haven't responded well to other medications.
Antipsychotic medications bring the manic phase to an end by slowing down brain activity and relieving hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. They don't seem to be very effective at treating depression, but they can be helpful for managing symptoms of mania in combination with other drugs.
In addition to medication, some people find that therapy is an important component of their treatment plan as well. Therapy may include:
Cognitive therapy helps you to understand the relationship between your thoughts and moods. It can help you identify irrational beliefs about yourself and others, which can be helpful for managing thought processes that make you feel bad. Cognitive therapy often includes relaxation techniques, self-hypnosis, and guided imagery.
Psychotherapy is used to treat specific problems or issues that have been causing distress. Therapy is usually a long-term treatment option done with a therapist who has experience working with people who have experienced trauma or other difficulties. Psychotherapy may take place in individual sessions or groups.
Art therapy is used to help you identify and express your inner messages. It can be very effective for people who have trouble expressing their emotions. Art therapy can also be used when other forms of therapy are too difficult or ineffective.
It's important to remember that the medications used to treat bipolar disorder may cause side effects and should not be taken by individuals with certain medical conditions, or pregnant women. Your doctor will monitor these conditions throughout treatment and adjust your medications accordingly. Also, if you stop taking your medications abruptly you could experience symptoms similar to bipolar depression.
To read more about each medication and its potential side effects, please see our Medications page.
Conclusion:
Warning Signs of Bipolar Depression
Experiencing bipolar depression can be scary. And it's important to know the warning signs that your mood is heading in a dangerous direction so you can take appropriate action to deal with them early on. In addition to the symptoms of depression mentioned earlier, here are some other symptoms you may notice:
Physical pain, such as headaches or stomachaches, that seem unrelated to an injury and don't go away even after taking medication or getting medical attention.
Feelings of guilt so strong they make you consider ending your life. These feelings could be caused by a sense of responsibility for causing the death of someone close to you or by feeling like a burden to those around you.