Personality Traits of Someone With Bipolar Disorder

A person with well-managed bipolar disorder will be seemingly healthy. The purpose of this article though is to identify the traits of a person who is suffering from untreated bipolar disorder.

Mania

• A bipolar person with mania will have inflated views of herself, often thinking she is famous or on the verge of becoming so. She will be hyper and need little sleep. She also may have rapid speech and difficulty adjusting to lower key situations. Often, those with bipolar disorder will engage in reckless behavior such as overspending or compulsive gambling.

Depression

• A bipolar person with depression will be fatigued and have difficulty remembering things or holding focus. He will have a very pessimistic outlook on life and may have a preoccupation with death or suicide. His sleep and eating may be disturbed as well.

Friendship

• It is very difficult to reason with someone with bipolar disorder because his thinking is so disrupted. The best thing a friend can do is reach out to the person exhibiting these symptoms. If the symptoms warrant it, the friend may suggest that he seek professional help.

History

• Often a person exhibiting these symptoms will have a history of these personality traits, though to a lesser extent. It is wise to consider the entire history of a person to determine if she has bipolar disorder.

Time Frame

• One of the hallmarks of bipolar disorder is the rapid cycling that takes place between manic highs and depressive lows. If there is an incidence of rapid cycling, this further suggests that a person is suffering from bipolar disorder.