Bipolar disorder is an illness that affects many people, some of which are ashamed or embarrassed to come forward and seek treatment. Someone in your family, your circle of friends, or even yourself may suffer from this disruptive condition and not even be aware of it. It is important to know some of the bipolar disorder symptoms so you can ensure those affected can receive the help they need.

What Is Bipolar Disorder

You may be questioning what is bipolar disorder and how can it affect an individuals daily routine. The disorder is a chronic illness that has relapses and tends to get worse without any form of treatment. It is defined as periods of mania or excitability with alternating periods of severe depression. It also affects roughly the same number as men as women, making it a disease that knows no gender discrimination. I know that we all experience mood swings from time to time, sometimes even a few within the same day. But the mood swings associated with bipolar disorder are so severe that they will interfere with everyday functions. They are also quite abrupt and will occur with little or no warning.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

There are two recognized types of this condition, bipolar I and bipolar II with the first being the more severe of the two. Bipolar I encompasses individuals who have had at least one totally manic episode with relapses of periods of depression. The second type is a classification for people who rarely have full manic episodes, but do experience high energy levels followed by bouts of depression. You should also understand that the disease affects people differently, and some may be more prone to mania outbursts while others exhibit mainly periods of depression. However, there are individuals who will alternate between the two.

Bipolar Disorder Manic Episodes

There are numerous warning signs and symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. I tend to find the lists somewhat overwhelming but breaking them down by category does seem to help. You should evaluate the symptoms during manic episodes and then during the states of depression. The symptoms during the excitability phase include quick agitation or irritability, extreme hyper-activity and uncontrollable temper. You will notice inflated self-esteem of the person; they will commonly claim to have extraordinary abilities. They will have little need for rest,  become overly involved in activities and display risky behavior. An individual experiencing a manic episode will also possess racing, random thoughts and be distracted easily.

Bipolar Disorder Depressive Episodes

The other side of bipolar disorder is severe depression and there are many red flags here as well. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, lack of interest, and listlessness. A person may also have a hard time concentrating, difficulty remembering and even have trouble making decisions. They will seem to have no self-esteem. When communicating, you may hear them speak of persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts or an obsession with death. They will withdraw from family events and many other social activities.

Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

Research has found that using antidepressants alone is not successful in the treatment of the disorder. The condition must be addressed properly with medication, therapy, support systems and even changes in lifestyle. It is vital for you to encourage loved ones who display signs of bipolar disorder to seek help in order to regain control of their lives.

When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I enrolled into a drug abuse class. At that age, I did not realize that alcohol abuse actually was a sub division of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for people all through the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol rehab and the diverse alcohol rehab centers that are often available to people who engage in hazardous drinking.

Some of the damaging effects associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class undeniably frightened me. The ruined lives and abundant problems experienced by most alcohol dependent people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated briefly, I did not want to face the damage and destruction that alcohol dependent individuals almost always experience.

Photo by Marion Doss

Ponder upon this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old individual wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What teenager wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that drinking alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What teen wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related difficulties before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What young person wants to experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause serious issues in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after a person has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a teenager want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that revolves around abusive drinking?

These issues were so important that I talked about some of them in class throughout the school year. What was downright incredible to me was the number of students who openly didn’t care about the negative outcomes of hazardous drinking that I talked about. It was almost as if they couldn’t care less about the facts and how these consequences can shatter their lives. For the first time in my life I started to comprehend a saying that my grandfather used to emphasize throughout my younger years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.