How to Understand Bipolar Disorder

Understanding Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a biological illness that impairs your ability to regulate your mood, leading you to experience periods of both intense happiness or irritability, as well as extreme sadness. There are two broad categories of symptoms with bipolar disorder: mania and depression, although the way in which people experience these symptoms can differ greatly. It can unfortunately take a while to receive a diagnosis, but people are diagnosed with bipolar disorder when they have had at least one episode of mania or hypomania, and their symptoms make it difficult to function at work, home, school or in social situations.

Myths About Bipolar Disorder

Myth #1:

If I was stronger, I wouldn’t experience these (manic or depressive) episodes.

Reality:

Having bipolar disorder has nothing to do with your strength or willpower. Bipolar disorder is a biological illness caused by both genetics and a chemical imbalance in the area of the brain dedicated to reward, motivation, and mood regulation. There are things you can do to help reduce the intensity and frequency of your symptoms, but there is nothing you did or did not do that caused you to have these symptoms.

Myth #2:

I can control this illness without medications and doctors.

Reality:

You are the one who holds the power to managing your illness, but taking medications and working with a psychiatric treatment team can help reduce the amount, intensity, and frequency of your symptoms. We strongly recommend working with mental health professionals to manage your bipolar disorder because it will give you the best chances at living a healthy, fulfilling life.

Myth #3:

I’ll never be able to achieve my goals with bipolar disorder.

Reality:

Treatment for and knowledge about bipolar disorder has greatly improved over the past few decades. With proper treatment and good self-care, many people with bipolar disorder now live full and gratifying lives.

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

Mania / Hypomania

Mania or a manic episode can be defined as a “distinctly elevated or irritable mood in combination with three or more additional symptoms of mania” that lasts longer than one week. When symptoms are less intense and occur over a shorter period of time (at least four days), this is considered to be a period of hypomania or a hypomanic episode.

Manic symptoms include the following: 

  • Increased self-confidence
  • Decreased need for sleep
  • Talkativeness
  • Racing thoughts
  • Distractibility
  • Psychomotor agitation or restlessness
  • Excessive involvement in pleasurable or risky activities
Depression or a depressive episode is defined by psychologists and doctors as a period of two weeks during which five or more of the following symptoms are experienced most of the day, nearly every day. At least one of these symptoms must be either a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in activities that are usually enjoyable (called anhedonia). While depression is typically associated with feeling sad or “blue” it’s important to note that many individuals don’t necessarily experience sadness when depressed, and rather feel a sense of emptiness or indifference.   

Depressive symptoms include the following:   

  • Changes in appetite or eating habits
  • Changes in sleep
  • Psychomotor agitation or lethargy (slowing down)
  • Fatigue
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
  • Difficulties with concentration or indecisiveness
  • Suicidality

Depression

Types of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar I Disorder

People are given a Bipolar I Disorder diagnosis when they’ve experienced at least 1 manic episode in their lifetime. Although many people with Bipolar I experience periods of depression, this is not necessary for a Bipolar I diagnosis.

Bipolar II Disorder

People are given a Bipolar II Disorder diagnosis when they’ve experienced both a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode. If someone has experienced both a manic and hypomanic episode, a diagnosis of Bipolar I is given, not Bipolar II.

Cyclothymia

People are diagnosed with cyclothymia when their mood changes are both chronic and frequent. The intensity of these mood changes may not be too extreme, but the diagnosis is given based on how much of the time some type of changed mood is present. People with cyclothymia tend to feel either slightly elevated or depressed half of the time, and a diagnosis is given when someone experiences these mood changes for at least two years as an adult (or one year as an adolescent).