Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

Bipolar disorder, also called manic depression, is a mental illness that affects mood and behavior. Bipolar disorder symptoms can be mild to severe, interrupting a person's ability to function normally. Manic depression typically begins during the late teens but may also appear in young children. Symptoms of bipolar disorder range between extreme highs to extreme lows.

Manic Episode

• During a manic episode, people with bipolar disorder are more outgoing than usual and unable to sit still for more than a few seconds. They talk rapidly, jumping from one topic to another, sometimes not making sense. Behavior of individuals with bipolar disorder has been described as being aggressive, agitated and euphoric. An inflated sense of well-being and feeling invincible may lead to risky behaviors including an increase in sexual activity, being promiscuous, spending excessive amounts of money, gambling and drug use. These symptoms may last for a few weeks or a few months.

Depressive Episode

• A depressive episode with bipolar disorder will occur after a manic episode causing symptoms that include loss of interest in doing any of their normal activities, irritability, anxiety, and feeling sad and hopeless. In people with severe depression, there may be thoughts of suicide or an attempt to end his life. Complaints of nonspecific pain, unable to concentrate and loss of appetite are bipolar disorder symptoms that can occur. Depression that follows hypomania is typically severe.

Hypomania

• Hypomania is a milder form of mania that isn't as severe and may last a few days compared to weeks or months in manic episodes. People who are hypomanic can function normally with minimal interruptions in their daily lives. They have higher than normal levels of energy, can be moody and irritable and impulsive. While in a hypomanic state, people are usually very productive, accomplishing a lot of work and other tasks in a short period of time.

Severe Mania

• Symptoms of severe mania in bipolar disorder are the same as manic episodes with feelings of euphoria, rapid thoughts and talking, agitation and risky behaviors. Severe manic episodes include symptoms of psychotic behavior, delusions, hallucinations or a combination of these. Psychotic symptoms can lead a person to believe she has super powers, are extremely rich or she is famous. The symptoms of psychosis, delusions and hallucinations can cause someone to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia.

Rapid-Cycling

• Bipolar disorder symptoms that are classified rapid-cycling can occur four or more times a year, several episodes within a week or during the course of 1 day. Mood swings of rapid-cycling bipolar disorder shift from happiness to anger to depression quickly. This seems to occur more often in women who experience the first rapid-cycling episode during the mid-teen years.