Anger & Bipolar Symptoms

Bipolar Disorder, also called manic depression, is a serious mental illness characterized by severe mood changes that interfere with a person's ability to function. Anger is a a symptom that can manifest in both the manic and depressive episodes of bipolar disorder.

Identification

• Bipolar, as its name suggests, is an illness with two opposite poles: mania and depression. In between these extremes are hypomania, and mixed episodes. Anger is a symptom more often associated with depressive and mixed episodes.

Features

• The symptoms of mania can include sleeping very little, talking a lot, an inability to concentrate, racing thoughts, hyperactivity, restlessness and sometimes hallucination. The symptoms of depression can include fatigue, feelings of guilt and hopelessness, memory problems, irritability and an inability to experience pleasure.

Effects

• During a manic episode a person may engage in reckless behavior such as going on a shopping spree, engaging in casual sex, or suddenly quitting their job. They may get very angry with those trying to stop them during this intense period. During a depressive episode, a person may be unable to get out of bed, refuse to communicate, eat very little or a lot. They may appear very angry and uncommunicative to those trying to help.

Significance

• Anger is a symptom involved in mixed episodes as well. Mixed episodes involve both manic and depressive symptoms (high energy + low mood), putting a person at particularly high risk for suicide.

Famous Ties

• Van Gogh is a famous person that suffered from bipolar disorder. Many people are aware of the fact that he cut off his own ear, a particularly violent and angry act.