How to Tell if Someone Is Bipolar
Look for unusually intense “mood episodes.” A mood episode represents a significant, even drastic, change from a person’s typical mood., Educate yourself about the multiple types of bipolar disorder., Know how to recognize a manic episode., Know how...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for unusually intense “mood episodes.” A mood episode represents a significant
In popular language, these may be called “mood swings.” People who suffer from bipolar disorder may switch rapidly between mood episodes, or they may switch between episodes less frequently.There are two basic types of mood episode: extremely elevated, or manic episodes, and extremely depressed, or depressive episodes.
The person may also experience mixed episodes, in which symptoms of mania and depression occur at the same time.A person with bipolar disorder may experience periods of “normal” mood in between these mood episodes. -
Step 2: even drastic
There are four basic types of bipolar disorder that are regularly diagnosed:
Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, and Cyclothymia.
The type of bipolar disorder a person is diagnosed with is determined by its severity and duration, as well as how quickly the mood episodes cycle.A trained mental health professional must diagnose bipolar disorder; you cannot do it yourself and should not attempt to do so.
Bipolar I Disorder involves manic or mixed episodes that last for at least seven days.
The person may also have severe manic episodes that put him/her in enough danger to require immediate medical attention.
Depressive episodes also occur, usually lasting at least two weeks.Bipolar II Disorder involves milder mood episodes.
Hypomania is a milder manic state, in which the person feels very “on,” is extremely productive, and appears to function well.
Untreated, this type of manic state may develop into severe mania.The depressive episodes in Bipolar II are also usually milder than the depressive episodes in Bipolar I.
Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (BP-NOS) is a diagnosis made when symptoms of bipolar disorder are present but don’t meet the rigid diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
These symptoms are still not typical for the person’s “normal” or baseline range.
Cyclothymic disorder or cyclothymia is a mild form of bipolar disorder.
Periods of hypomania alternate with shorter, milder episodes of depression.
This must persist for at least 2 years to meet diagnostic criteria.A person with bipolar disorder may also experience “rapid cycling,” in which s/he experiences 4 or more mood episodes within a 12-month period.
Rapid cycling appears to affect slightly more women than men, and it can come and go., How a manic episode manifests may vary from person to person.
However, it will represent a dramatically more elevated or “revved up” mood from the person’s “normal” or baseline emotional state.
Some symptoms of mania include:
Feelings of extreme joy, happiness, or excitement.
A person having a manic episode may feel so “buzzed” or happy that even bad news cannot damage his/her mood.
This feeling of extreme happiness persists even without apparent causes.
Overconfidence, feelings of invulnerability, delusions of grandeur.
A person having a manic episode may have an overinflated ego or higher sense of self-esteem than is typical for him/her.
S/he may believe she can accomplish more than is feasible, as though absolutely nothing can get in his/her way.
S/he may imagine that s/he has special connections to figures of importance or supernatural phenomena.
Increased, sudden irritability and anger.
A person having a manic episode may snap at others, even without provocation.
S/he is likely to be more “touchy” or easily angered than is usual in her/his “typical” mood.
Hyperactivity.
The person may take on multiple projects at once, or schedule more things to do in a day than reasonably can be accomplished.
S/he may choose to do activities, even seemingly purposeless ones, instead of sleeping or eating.
Increased talkativeness, scattered speech, racing thoughts.
The person having a manic episode will often have difficulty collecting his/her thoughts, even though s/he is extremely talkative.
S/he may jump very quickly from one thought or activity to another.
Feeling jittery or agitated.
The person may feel agitated or restless.
S/he may be easily distracted.
Sudden increase in risky behavior.
The person may do things that are unusual for his/her normal baseline and pose a risk, such as having unsafe sex, going on shopping sprees, or gambling.
Risky physical activities such as speeding or undertaking extreme sports or athletic feats
-- especially ones the person is not adequately prepared for
-- may also occur.
Decreased sleeping habits.
The person may sleep very little, yet claim to feel rested.
S/he may experience insomnia or simply feel like s/he doesn't need to sleep. , If a manic episode makes a person with bipolar disorder feel like s/he’s “on top of the world,” a depressive episode is the feeling of being crushed at the bottom of it.
The symptoms may vary between people, but there are some common symptoms to look out for:
Intense feelings of sadness or despair.
Like the feelings of happiness or excitement in the manic episodes, these feelings may not appear to have a cause.
The person may feel hopeless or worthless, even if you make attempts to cheer her/him up.
Anhedonia.
This is a fancy way of saying that the person no longer shows interest or enjoyment in things s/he used to enjoy doing.
Sex drive may also be lower.
Fatigue.
It’s common for people suffering from major depression to feel tired all the time.
S/he may also complain of feeling sore or achy.
Sleep pattern disrupted.
With depression, a person’s “normal” sleep habits are disrupted in some way.
Some people sleep too much while others may sleep too little.
Either way, their sleep habits are markedly different from what is “normal” for them.
Appetite changes.
People with depression may experience weight loss or weight gain.
They may overeat or not eat enough.
This varies depending on the person and represents a change from what is “normal” for him/her.
Trouble concentrating.
Depression can make it difficult to focus or make even small decisions.
A person may feel nearly paralyzed when s/he’s experiencing a depressive episode.
Suicidal thoughts or actions.
Don’t assume that any expressions of suicidal thoughts or intentions are “just for attention.” Suicide is a very real risk for people with bipolar disorder.
Call 911 or emergency services immediately if your loved one expresses suicidal thoughts or intents. , You’ve taken an excellent first step by looking up this article.
The more you know about bipolar disorder, the better you’ll be able to support your loved one.
Below are a few resources you may consider:
The National Institute of Mental Health is an excellent place to start for information on bipolar disorder, its symptoms and possible causes, treatment options, and how to live with the illness.The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance offers resources for individuals suffering from bipolar disorder and their loved ones.Marya Hornbacher’s memoir Madness:
A Bipolar Life talks about the author’s lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder.
Dr.
Kay Redfield Jamison’s memoir An Unquiet Mind talks about the author’s life as a scientist who also has bipolar disorder.
While each person’s experience is unique to them, these books may help you to understand what your loved one is going through.
Bipolar Disorder:
A Guide for Patients and Families, by Dr.
Frank Mondimore, can be a good resource for how to care for your loved one (and yourself).
The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, by Dr.
David J.Miklowitz, is geared toward helping people with bipolar disorder, and their loved ones manage the illness.
The Depression Workbook:
A Guide for Living with Depression and Manic Depression, by Mary Ellen Copeland and Matthew McKay, is geared toward helping people diagnosed with bipolar disorder maintain mood stability with various self-help exercises. , Mental illness is commonly stigmatized as something “wrong” with the person.
It may be viewed as something s/he could just “snap out of” if s/he “tried hard enough” or “thought more positively.”The fact is, these ideas are simply not true.
Bipolar disorder is the result of complex interacting factors including genetics, brain structure, chemical imbalances in the body, and sociocultural pressures.A person with bipolar disorder can’t just “stop” having the disorder.
However, bipolar disorder is also treatable.Consider how you would speak to someone who had a different sort of illness, such as cancer.
Would you ask that person, “Have you ever tried just not having cancer?” Telling someone with bipolar disorder to just “try harder” is equally incorrect.There’s a common misconception that bipolar is rare.
In fact, about 6 million American adults suffer from some type of bipolar disorder.Even famous individuals such as Stephen Fry, Carrie Fisher, and Jean-Claude Van Damme have been open about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.Another common myth is that manic or depressive mood episodes are “normal” or even a good thing.
While it’s true that everyone has their good days and bad days, bipolar disorder causes shifts in mood that are far more extreme and damaging than the typical “mood swings” or “off days.” They cause significant dysfunction in the person’s daily life.A common mistake is to confuse schizophrenia with bipolar disorder.
They are not at all the same illness, although they have a few symptoms (such as depression) in common.
Bipolar disorder is characterized principally by the shift between intense mood episodes.
Schizophrenia generally causes symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech, which do not often appear in bipolar disorder.
It is possible for someone with schizoaffective disorder, to have the symptoms of both though.
Many people believe that people with bipolar disorder or depression are dangerous to others.
The news media is particularly bad about promoting this idea.
In reality, research shows that people with bipolar disorder don’t commit any more violent acts than people without the disorder.
People with bipolar disorder may be more likely to consider or attempt suicide, however. -
Step 3: change from a person’s typical mood.
-
Step 4: Educate yourself about the multiple types of bipolar disorder.
-
Step 5: Know how to recognize a manic episode.
-
Step 6: Know how to recognize a depressive episode.
-
Step 7: Read all you can about the disorder.
-
Step 8: Reject some common myths about mental illness.
Detailed Guide
In popular language, these may be called “mood swings.” People who suffer from bipolar disorder may switch rapidly between mood episodes, or they may switch between episodes less frequently.There are two basic types of mood episode: extremely elevated, or manic episodes, and extremely depressed, or depressive episodes.
The person may also experience mixed episodes, in which symptoms of mania and depression occur at the same time.A person with bipolar disorder may experience periods of “normal” mood in between these mood episodes.
There are four basic types of bipolar disorder that are regularly diagnosed:
Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, and Cyclothymia.
The type of bipolar disorder a person is diagnosed with is determined by its severity and duration, as well as how quickly the mood episodes cycle.A trained mental health professional must diagnose bipolar disorder; you cannot do it yourself and should not attempt to do so.
Bipolar I Disorder involves manic or mixed episodes that last for at least seven days.
The person may also have severe manic episodes that put him/her in enough danger to require immediate medical attention.
Depressive episodes also occur, usually lasting at least two weeks.Bipolar II Disorder involves milder mood episodes.
Hypomania is a milder manic state, in which the person feels very “on,” is extremely productive, and appears to function well.
Untreated, this type of manic state may develop into severe mania.The depressive episodes in Bipolar II are also usually milder than the depressive episodes in Bipolar I.
Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (BP-NOS) is a diagnosis made when symptoms of bipolar disorder are present but don’t meet the rigid diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
These symptoms are still not typical for the person’s “normal” or baseline range.
Cyclothymic disorder or cyclothymia is a mild form of bipolar disorder.
Periods of hypomania alternate with shorter, milder episodes of depression.
This must persist for at least 2 years to meet diagnostic criteria.A person with bipolar disorder may also experience “rapid cycling,” in which s/he experiences 4 or more mood episodes within a 12-month period.
Rapid cycling appears to affect slightly more women than men, and it can come and go., How a manic episode manifests may vary from person to person.
However, it will represent a dramatically more elevated or “revved up” mood from the person’s “normal” or baseline emotional state.
Some symptoms of mania include:
Feelings of extreme joy, happiness, or excitement.
A person having a manic episode may feel so “buzzed” or happy that even bad news cannot damage his/her mood.
This feeling of extreme happiness persists even without apparent causes.
Overconfidence, feelings of invulnerability, delusions of grandeur.
A person having a manic episode may have an overinflated ego or higher sense of self-esteem than is typical for him/her.
S/he may believe she can accomplish more than is feasible, as though absolutely nothing can get in his/her way.
S/he may imagine that s/he has special connections to figures of importance or supernatural phenomena.
Increased, sudden irritability and anger.
A person having a manic episode may snap at others, even without provocation.
S/he is likely to be more “touchy” or easily angered than is usual in her/his “typical” mood.
Hyperactivity.
The person may take on multiple projects at once, or schedule more things to do in a day than reasonably can be accomplished.
S/he may choose to do activities, even seemingly purposeless ones, instead of sleeping or eating.
Increased talkativeness, scattered speech, racing thoughts.
The person having a manic episode will often have difficulty collecting his/her thoughts, even though s/he is extremely talkative.
S/he may jump very quickly from one thought or activity to another.
Feeling jittery or agitated.
The person may feel agitated or restless.
S/he may be easily distracted.
Sudden increase in risky behavior.
The person may do things that are unusual for his/her normal baseline and pose a risk, such as having unsafe sex, going on shopping sprees, or gambling.
Risky physical activities such as speeding or undertaking extreme sports or athletic feats
-- especially ones the person is not adequately prepared for
-- may also occur.
Decreased sleeping habits.
The person may sleep very little, yet claim to feel rested.
S/he may experience insomnia or simply feel like s/he doesn't need to sleep. , If a manic episode makes a person with bipolar disorder feel like s/he’s “on top of the world,” a depressive episode is the feeling of being crushed at the bottom of it.
The symptoms may vary between people, but there are some common symptoms to look out for:
Intense feelings of sadness or despair.
Like the feelings of happiness or excitement in the manic episodes, these feelings may not appear to have a cause.
The person may feel hopeless or worthless, even if you make attempts to cheer her/him up.
Anhedonia.
This is a fancy way of saying that the person no longer shows interest or enjoyment in things s/he used to enjoy doing.
Sex drive may also be lower.
Fatigue.
It’s common for people suffering from major depression to feel tired all the time.
S/he may also complain of feeling sore or achy.
Sleep pattern disrupted.
With depression, a person’s “normal” sleep habits are disrupted in some way.
Some people sleep too much while others may sleep too little.
Either way, their sleep habits are markedly different from what is “normal” for them.
Appetite changes.
People with depression may experience weight loss or weight gain.
They may overeat or not eat enough.
This varies depending on the person and represents a change from what is “normal” for him/her.
Trouble concentrating.
Depression can make it difficult to focus or make even small decisions.
A person may feel nearly paralyzed when s/he’s experiencing a depressive episode.
Suicidal thoughts or actions.
Don’t assume that any expressions of suicidal thoughts or intentions are “just for attention.” Suicide is a very real risk for people with bipolar disorder.
Call 911 or emergency services immediately if your loved one expresses suicidal thoughts or intents. , You’ve taken an excellent first step by looking up this article.
The more you know about bipolar disorder, the better you’ll be able to support your loved one.
Below are a few resources you may consider:
The National Institute of Mental Health is an excellent place to start for information on bipolar disorder, its symptoms and possible causes, treatment options, and how to live with the illness.The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance offers resources for individuals suffering from bipolar disorder and their loved ones.Marya Hornbacher’s memoir Madness:
A Bipolar Life talks about the author’s lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder.
Dr.
Kay Redfield Jamison’s memoir An Unquiet Mind talks about the author’s life as a scientist who also has bipolar disorder.
While each person’s experience is unique to them, these books may help you to understand what your loved one is going through.
Bipolar Disorder:
A Guide for Patients and Families, by Dr.
Frank Mondimore, can be a good resource for how to care for your loved one (and yourself).
The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, by Dr.
David J.Miklowitz, is geared toward helping people with bipolar disorder, and their loved ones manage the illness.
The Depression Workbook:
A Guide for Living with Depression and Manic Depression, by Mary Ellen Copeland and Matthew McKay, is geared toward helping people diagnosed with bipolar disorder maintain mood stability with various self-help exercises. , Mental illness is commonly stigmatized as something “wrong” with the person.
It may be viewed as something s/he could just “snap out of” if s/he “tried hard enough” or “thought more positively.”The fact is, these ideas are simply not true.
Bipolar disorder is the result of complex interacting factors including genetics, brain structure, chemical imbalances in the body, and sociocultural pressures.A person with bipolar disorder can’t just “stop” having the disorder.
However, bipolar disorder is also treatable.Consider how you would speak to someone who had a different sort of illness, such as cancer.
Would you ask that person, “Have you ever tried just not having cancer?” Telling someone with bipolar disorder to just “try harder” is equally incorrect.There’s a common misconception that bipolar is rare.
In fact, about 6 million American adults suffer from some type of bipolar disorder.Even famous individuals such as Stephen Fry, Carrie Fisher, and Jean-Claude Van Damme have been open about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.Another common myth is that manic or depressive mood episodes are “normal” or even a good thing.
While it’s true that everyone has their good days and bad days, bipolar disorder causes shifts in mood that are far more extreme and damaging than the typical “mood swings” or “off days.” They cause significant dysfunction in the person’s daily life.A common mistake is to confuse schizophrenia with bipolar disorder.
They are not at all the same illness, although they have a few symptoms (such as depression) in common.
Bipolar disorder is characterized principally by the shift between intense mood episodes.
Schizophrenia generally causes symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech, which do not often appear in bipolar disorder.
It is possible for someone with schizoaffective disorder, to have the symptoms of both though.
Many people believe that people with bipolar disorder or depression are dangerous to others.
The news media is particularly bad about promoting this idea.
In reality, research shows that people with bipolar disorder don’t commit any more violent acts than people without the disorder.
People with bipolar disorder may be more likely to consider or attempt suicide, however.
About the Author
Raymond Richardson
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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