Signs When Someone is Bipolar

NAMI, the National Institute of Mental Health, finds that over ten million people have bipolar disorder. Men and women are affected equally. Bipolar disorder sometimes coexists with other illnesses such as anxiety disorder and schizophrenia.

Mood Swings

• Bipolar is defined by huge changes in mood or energy. A bipolar person can be manic, or have high energy; hypomanic, or somewhat high energy; or depressed, having low energy. His mood will change for seemingly no reason.

Changes in Eating

• When manic, a bipolar person will usually eat less food, if at all. A depressed person will either eat too much or too little.

Changes in Sleep

• A manic person will not need to sleep much because of her high energy rate. She may stay awake for several days without tiring. A depressed person may sleep all day, every day while depressed, or have insomnia but still not want to get out of bed.

Changes in Attitude

• A bipolar person might have rapidly changing points of view about things. She may be excited about a trip she is about to take, then a short time later, be wary and not want to go. This is just an example of the way her attitude changes.

Diagnosis

• Only a doctor can diagnose bipolar disorder, usually a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist will do a thorough mental examination, ask a patient questions about his mood and habits to determine if he is bipolar.

Types of Bipolar

• Bipolar disorder mainly comes in two types. Bipolar Type I is characterized by having both mania and depression present. Bipolar Type II includes hypomania instead of mania and cycles with depression. Another type of bipolar diagnosis is schizoaffective disorder. This is a mixture of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and is more rare than bipolar or schizophrenia.