Mood swings of bipolar disorder. Mood Swings vs Bipolar Disorder: Key Differences and When to Seek Help

29.07.202310.06.2023 by alexxlab

What are the main differences between normal mood swings and bipolar disorder. How can you recognize the signs of bipolar disorder. When should you seek professional help for mood changes. What are the types of bipolar disorder and their characteristics. How do manic and depressive episodes manifest in bipolar disorder.

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Understanding Mood Changes and Mood Swings

Mood changes and mood swings are natural aspects of human emotional experience. They represent our psychological responses to various life events and circumstances. However, it’s crucial to differentiate between normal mood fluctuations and more severe mood disorders like bipolar disorder.

Robert McFerren, a licensed independent clinical social worker, explains that shifts in emotions and mood are normal, common, and healthy reactions to life events. These changes can be rapid and situation-specific. For instance, you might start your day feeling cheerful, but upon learning about a friend’s job loss, your mood could quickly shift to concern or sadness.

Moods, on the other hand, tend to last longer – often for hours or days – and aren’t necessarily tied to specific situations. Dr. Hayden Center Jr., a licensed professional counselor, notes that someone may experience a dysphoric mood for several days, feeling very down and depressed without an apparent trigger.

Factors Influencing Mood Swings

Several factors can contribute to mood swings:

Extreme stress
Sleep deprivation
Low blood sugar
Certain medications
Hormonal changes
Traumatic experiences

It’s important to recognize that the causes of mood swings can vary significantly from person to person. Understanding these factors can help individuals better manage their emotional well-being.

Recognizing Bipolar Disorder: Beyond Normal Mood Swings

While occasional mood swings are normal, bipolar disorder involves more severe and prolonged mood episodes. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), bipolar disorder is characterized by mood episodes that can last for days, weeks, or even months.

In bipolar disorder, individuals experience extreme shifts between manic (extremely happy or irritable) and depressive (extremely sad) states. These mood episodes are more intense and longer-lasting than typical mood swings, often causing significant disruption to daily life.

Key Differences Between Normal Mood Swings and Bipolar Episodes

Duration: Normal mood swings typically last a few hours to a day, while bipolar episodes persist for days or weeks.
Intensity: Bipolar mood episodes are more severe and can significantly impact daily functioning.
Frequency: Bipolar disorder involves recurring episodes of mania and depression.
Triggers: While normal mood swings often have identifiable triggers, bipolar episodes may occur without apparent cause.

Types of Bipolar Disorder: Understanding the Spectrum

Bipolar disorder is not a one-size-fits-all condition. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes three main types of bipolar disorder, each with its unique characteristics:

Bipolar 1 Disorder

Bipolar 1 is characterized by severe manic episodes that can cause noticeable problems in everyday life and may require hospitalization. Individuals with Bipolar 1 also experience depressive episodes. In some cases, manic and depressive symptoms may occur simultaneously.

Bipolar 2 Disorder

People with Bipolar 2 disorder experience depressive episodes along with hypomanic episodes. Hypomania involves milder symptoms of mania that, compared to full-blown manic episodes, typically don’t significantly impede a person’s ability to function.

Cyclothymia

Cyclothymia is a milder form of bipolar disorder. It involves emotional ups and downs that are less severe than those experienced in Bipolar 1 or 2. However, these mood fluctuations can still significantly impact an individual’s quality of life.

In some cases, a person’s bipolar symptoms might not fit neatly into any of these categories. This may lead to a diagnosis called “other specified and unspecified bipolar and related disorders.”

Manic and Depressive Episodes: Hallmarks of Bipolar Disorder

Understanding the characteristics of manic and depressive episodes is crucial for recognizing bipolar disorder. These episodes have specific diagnostic criteria and duration requirements.

Manic Episodes

To be formally diagnosed, a manic episode must last at least one week. According to the Mayo Clinic, manic episodes must include at least three of the following symptoms:

Abnormally upbeat, jumpy, or wired mood
Increased activity, energy, or agitation
Decreased need for sleep
Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)
Unusual talkativeness
Racing thoughts
Poor decision-making (e.g., taking sexual risks, going on shopping sprees, or making unwise financial investments)

Depressive Episodes

The APA states that a depressive episode must last at least two weeks and involve at least five of the following symptoms, including at least one of the first two:

Intense sadness or despair
Loss of interest in activities one usually enjoys
Fatigue
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Increased or decreased appetite
Increased or decreased sleep
Slowed speech or movements
Restlessness (e.g., pacing)
Difficulty concentrating
Frequent thoughts of death or suicide

Seeking Professional Help: When to Consult a Mental Health Expert

It’s important to remember that you don’t need to have a specific mental health condition to seek help. Whether you’re struggling with troublesome symptoms or simply want to better manage your emotions and moods, consulting a medical professional can be beneficial.

Consider seeking professional help if:

Your mood changes are significantly affecting your ability to function in daily life
You’re experiencing persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or irritability
You notice extreme shifts in energy levels, sleep patterns, or behavior
You’re having difficulty maintaining relationships or performing at work or school
You’re experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide

A mental health professional can help you understand what you’re experiencing and provide information about potential treatments. They can also rule out other medical conditions that might be causing your symptoms.

Treatment Options for Bipolar Disorder and Mood Management

While bipolar disorder is a chronic condition, it is treatable. With proper management, individuals with bipolar disorder can lead fulfilling lives. Treatment typically involves a combination of approaches:

Medication

Mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants are often prescribed to help manage bipolar symptoms. The specific medication regimen depends on the individual’s symptoms and type of bipolar disorder.

Psychotherapy

Various forms of therapy can be beneficial, including:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT)
Family-focused Therapy

These therapeutic approaches can help individuals understand their condition, develop coping strategies, and improve relationships.

Lifestyle Management

Maintaining a stable routine, getting regular sleep, exercising, and avoiding substance abuse can significantly help in managing bipolar disorder. Stress management techniques, such as mindfulness and relaxation exercises, can also be beneficial.

Living with Bipolar Disorder: Strategies for Success

Living with bipolar disorder can be challenging, but many individuals successfully manage their condition and lead fulfilling lives. Here are some strategies that can help:

Educate Yourself and Your Loved Ones

Understanding bipolar disorder is crucial for both the individual with the condition and their support system. Education can help reduce stigma, improve communication, and enhance support.

Develop a Support Network

Having a strong support network of family, friends, and healthcare professionals can make a significant difference. Support groups can also provide valuable connections with others who understand the challenges of living with bipolar disorder.

Monitor Your Mood

Keeping a mood diary can help you and your healthcare provider identify patterns, triggers, and early warning signs of mood episodes. This information can be invaluable in preventing or minimizing severe episodes.

Stick to Your Treatment Plan

Consistency is key in managing bipolar disorder. It’s important to take medications as prescribed and attend therapy sessions regularly, even when you’re feeling well.

Practice Self-Care

Prioritizing self-care can help maintain stability. This includes getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, practicing good sleep hygiene, and engaging in stress-reducing activities.

The Impact of Bipolar Disorder on Relationships and Work

Bipolar disorder can significantly affect various aspects of life, including relationships and work performance. Understanding these impacts can help individuals and their loved ones navigate challenges more effectively.

Relationships

Bipolar disorder can strain relationships due to mood swings, impulsive behavior during manic episodes, and withdrawal during depressive episodes. Open communication, education about the condition, and involving partners or family members in treatment can help strengthen relationships.

Work Performance

The symptoms of bipolar disorder can impact work performance. Manic episodes might lead to increased productivity but also poor decision-making, while depressive episodes can result in absenteeism and decreased performance. Working with employers to make reasonable accommodations can help maintain job stability.

It’s important to remember that with proper treatment and support, many individuals with bipolar disorder successfully manage their careers and maintain healthy relationships.

Advances in Bipolar Disorder Research and Treatment

Research into bipolar disorder continues to advance our understanding of the condition and improve treatment options. Some recent developments include:

Genetic Studies

Researchers are identifying genetic markers associated with bipolar disorder, which could lead to improved diagnostic tools and targeted treatments in the future.

Neuroimaging

Brain imaging studies are providing insights into the neurological basis of bipolar disorder, potentially leading to new treatment approaches.

Novel Medications

New medications and treatment combinations are being developed and tested, offering hope for individuals who don’t respond well to current treatment options.

Digital Health Tools

Smartphone apps and other digital tools are being developed to help individuals track their moods, monitor symptoms, and adhere to treatment plans.

These advancements offer hope for improved management and outcomes for individuals living with bipolar disorder. As research progresses, our ability to understand, diagnose, and treat this complex condition continues to improve.

Mood Swings or Bipolar Disorder? How to Tell the Difference

What Does It Mean to Have Mood Changes or Mood Swings?

Shifts in your emotions and mood are a normal, common, and healthy way to react to events that take place in our lives, says Robert McFerren, a licensed independent clinical social worker and clinical director at the Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center in Seattle.

The difference between the two? Emotions may change quickly in response to a specific situation, explains Hayden Center Jr., PhD, a licensed professional counselor and counseling core faculty member at the University of Phoenix College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. For example, say you start the day feeling happy but then find out your friend lost her job. You might rapidly go from feeling happy to concerned or even sad.

On the other hand, moods last longer — for hours or days — and are not necessarily specific to a situation. “Someone may be in a dysphoric mood for several days, meaning they feel very down and depressed,” Dr. Center says.

“And mood swings can be more intense and don’t always have an obvious trigger,” adds McFerren.

In addition, experiencing extreme stress, sleep deprivation, or low blood sugar, or taking certain medications, could lead to mood swings, Center says. Or they may be caused by hormones or traumatic experiences, McFerren notes. In other words, the causes for mood swings vary from person to person.

When Might a Mood Be a Symptom of Bipolar Disorder?

A shift in mood that lasts no more than a few hours or even a day is normal. In contrast, mood episodes that last days, weeks, or even months are a defining feature of bipolar disorder, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Someone with bipolar disorder who is experiencing a mood episode may feel manic (extremely happy or extremely irritable) or depressive (extremely sad), APA experts explain. Sometimes their shifts between moods happen abruptly, sometimes not. And it’s important to note that people with bipolar disorder can experience periods of neutral moods between mood episodes. They can even experience normal mood swings.

The nature and frequency of mood episodes vary by bipolar disorder type. There are three types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar 1 In this form of bipolar disorder, a person has such severe manic episodes that they cause noticeable problems in everyday life and ultimately may require hospitalization. People with bipolar 1 also have depressive episodes. In some cases, manic and depressive symptoms may occur simultaneously.
Bipolar 2 A person with this type of bipolar disorder experiences depressive episodes, as well as hypomanic episodes, which are episodes involving milder symptoms of mania that, compared with full-blown manic episodes, typically don’t impede their ability to function.
Cyclothymia A milder form of bipolar disorder, cyclothymia involves emotional ups and downs that are less severe than those of bipolar 1 or 2.

In some cases, a person’s bipolar symptoms might not fit neatly into any of the categories described above. This may lead to a diagnosis called other specified and unspecified bipolar and related disorders.

What’s the Difference Between a Manic Mood and a Depressive One?

To be formally diagnosed, a manic episode must last at least one week, while a less severe hypomanic episode must last at least four days in a row. According to the Mayo Clinic, manic or hypomanic episodes also must include at least three of these symptoms:

Abnormally upbeat, jumpy, or wired
Increased activity, energy, or agitation
Decreased need for sleep
Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)
Unusual talkativeness
Racing thoughts
Poor decision-making (for example, taking sexual risks, going on shopping sprees, or making unwise financial investments)

According to the APA, a depressive episode must last at least two weeks and involve at least five of the following symptoms, including at least one of the first two symptoms:

Intense sadness or despair
Loss of interest in activities one usually enjoys
Fatigue
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Increased or decreased appetite
Increased or decreased sleep
Slowed speech or movement
Restlessness (for example, pacing)
Difficulty concentrating
Frequent thoughts of death or suicide

RELATED: 7 Triggers That Can Cause a Bipolar Episode

How Can I Know if I Should Seek Treatment?

You don’t need to have a specific mental health condition to seek help. Whether you’re struggling with troublesome symptoms or would simply like to better manage your emotions and moods, talking to a medical professional could help you understand what you’re experiencing and let you know about potential treatments.

That said, if your significant mood changes are affecting your ability to function as usual and causing problems with your relationships, work, social activities, or other important parts of your life, it’s important to get a proper diagnosis from a mental health professional based on the symptoms you’re experiencing, as well as your overall health history.

Untreated bipolar disorder can have serious consequences. For example, someone experiencing a manic episode may impulsively spend more money than they intended, McFerren says. Afterward, they may feel so depressed that they can’t get out of bed and so miss work for several days.

The consequences of mood episodes can even be life-threatening. “Not attending to moods that are out of the ordinary for long periods of time can lead to dangerous consequences such as suicide or drug misuse,” explains Center.

Extreme mood swings are also sometimes indicative of health conditions other than bipolar disorder such as poor blood sugar regulation, reports the University of Michigan School of Public Health. In addition, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety can also lead to intense, shifting moods. For these reasons, Center suggests that you first get a physical exam from your primary care doctor, who can then refer you to a specialist for a mental health assessment.

Which Treatments Are Most Effective for Bipolar Disorder?

The most effective treatment for bipolar disorder is a combination of psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) and medication, according to McFerren.

The most effective psychotherapies for bipolar disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) This form of therapy helps people with bipolar disorder identify triggers that may cause a mood episode and enables them to develop healthy thinking and behavioral patterns to better manage their mood.
Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy (IPRST) This therapeutic technique involves developing regular daily routines, such as going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, eating meals at regular times, and decreasing stressful triggers in one’s surroundings.
Family-Focused Therapy This includes both the person with bipolar disorder and the people closest to them, such as spouses and parents, so that everyone is well-informed about the condition and develops skills for avoiding conflicts.

Several medicines can help alleviate the severity of symptoms for people with bipolar disorder:

Mood stabilizers
Antipsychotics
Anti-anxiety medications

If you are prescribed a medication to treat bipolar disorder, don’t stop taking it without consulting your doctor first. Taking medication as directed reduces the likelihood of future mood episodes.

“The most important thing in managing bipolar disorder is to maintain a consistent medication regime,” McFerren says. “Often, people who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder hit a point where they are regulated on medication and either miss the euphoria that can come with a manic episode, or they feel great after being on the medication for a period of time and feel they don’t need them anymore.”

“Unfortunately, every time someone goes off of medication and experiences extreme manic and depressive episodes, it becomes more difficult for them to restabilize on medication,” McFerren warns.

In addition to professional treatment, adopting new habits often helps people with — and without — bipolar disorder better manage their mood. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration suggests:

Keeping a consistent daily routine by taking your medicine, eating meals, and going to sleep at the same times each day
Minimizing stress by simplifying your life where you can and trying activities like exercise, meditation, tai chi, and yoga
Keeping a daily mood journal in which you briefly note changes in your mood to help you recognize triggers and give your doctor feedback on how well treatment is working
Maintaining a healthy support system by helping certain family members and friends learn about bipolar disorder and how best to support you if you are experiencing a tough time

Also important: Steer clear of over-the-counter and illegal drugs that cause changes in your mood and thoughts, says Center. These include tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin.

Symptoms – Bipolar disorder – NHS

Bipolar disorder is characterised by extreme mood swings. These can range from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression).

Episodes of mania and depression often last for several days or longer.

Depression

During a period of depression, your symptoms may include:

feeling sad, hopeless or irritable most of the time
lacking energy
difficulty concentrating and remembering things
loss of interest in everyday activities
feelings of emptiness or worthlessness
feelings of guilt and despair
feeling pessimistic about everything
self-doubt
being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking
lack of appetite
difficulty sleeping
waking up early
suicidal thoughts

Mania

The manic phase of bipolar disorder may include:

feeling very happy, elated or overjoyed
talking very quickly
feeling full of energy
feeling self-important
feeling full of great new ideas and having important plans
being easily distracted
being easily irritated or agitated
being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking
not feeling like sleeping
doing things that often have disastrous consequences – such as spending large sums of money on expensive and sometimes unaffordable items
making decisions or saying things that are out of character and that others see as being risky or harmful

Patterns of depression and mania

If you have bipolar disorder, you may have episodes of depression more regularly than episodes of mania, or vice versa.

Between episodes of depression and mania, you may sometimes have periods where you have a “normal” mood.

The patterns are not always the same and some people may experience:

rapid cycling – where a person with bipolar disorder repeatedly swings from a high to a low phase quickly
mixed state – where a person with bipolar disorder experiences symptoms of depression and mania together; for example, overactivity with a depressed mood

If your mood swings last a long time but are not severe enough to be classed as bipolar disorder, you may be diagnosed with a mild form of bipolar disorder called cyclothymia.

Living with bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a condition of extremes. A person with bipolar disorder may be unaware they’re in the manic phase.

After the episode is over, they may be shocked at their behaviour. But at the time, they may believe other people are being negative or unhelpful.

Some people with bipolar disorder have more frequent and severe episodes than others.

The extreme nature of the condition means staying in a job may be difficult and relationships may become strained. There’s also an increased risk of suicide.

During episodes of mania and depression, someone with bipolar disorder may experience strange sensations, such as seeing, hearing or smelling things that are not there (hallucinations).

They may also believe things that seem irrational to other people (delusions). These types of symptoms are known as psychosis or a psychotic episode.

Find out more about living with bipolar disorder

Page last reviewed: 3 January 2023

Next review due: 3 January 2026

Signs and features of bipolar disorder

Sudden mood swings, increased excitability, in connection with this, behavioral disturbances, a sudden change in increased activity to the appearance of apathy, a desire to just lie down and do nothing, the appearance of thoughts and actions that do not correspond to the situation and are unusual for the nature of the given person person. Relatives often explain such behavior of a person by fatigue, problems at work, a “difficult” character, and they sincerely wonder why it is not possible to change his mood with a “heart-to-heart talk”. But with such symptoms, you should not wait – you need to contact a psychiatrist as soon as possible. It may not just be accumulated fatigue and mood swings, but symptoms of bipolar affective disorder (BAD). What is it, says Vladimir Yarovitsky – a psychiatrist of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences, associate professor of the department of psychiatry of the Stavropol State Medical University, head of the first general psychiatric department of the Stavropol Regional Clinical Specialized Psychiatric Hospital No. 1.

Bipolar affective disorder. What is hidden under this definition?

– Let’s take a closer look at this term. Bipolar – literally means two poles, affective – pathological mood changes. And the word “disorder” emphasizes that it is still a disease. In specialized literature, the abbreviation BAR is often used. Bipolar affective disorder is a relatively new term for domestic psychiatry. So, until the beginning of the 90s of the last century, the term manic-depressive psychosis was used to define such conditions in medicine. This is perhaps a more “hard” term, given the word psychosis, but it clearly demonstrates the appearance of pronounced painful symptoms that disrupt a person’s adaptation in society – manic state and depression are its main manifestations. In the 10th international classification of diseases, which we now use, manic depressive psychosis was divided into 2 diagnostic areas: bipolar disorder and recurrent depressive disorder, where only depressive phases take place during the course of the disease. BAD is characterized by a change in manic and depressive phases, between which a person can work normally, remain a full-fledged member of society and do not differ from others in their behavior.

– What are the risk factors? At what age can the disease manifest itself, what plays the main role: heredity or concomitant diseases?

– It is difficult to answer unambiguously. Here, as in other endogenous diseases, heredity plays a significant role, but it cannot be said that the cause is only in the genes. If one of the parents is sick, then the probability of getting sick in a child is 12-15% and this manifests itself quite early – at 15-20 years old. In general, bipolar disorder is a multifactorial disease in which not only genetics is important, but also living conditions. If there is a predisposition, then some emotional impulse and certain events can provoke the development of the disease.

– How does the disease manifest itself? How to distinguish mood swings from bipolar disorder?

– In psychiatry, the line between health and illness is a little blurry. To diagnose the disease, you need to consider many factors. And if a person has only apathy or mood swings, it is impossible to talk about the presence of a bipolar disorder.

Bipolar affective disorder is more complex than a mood illness. The main pathology in this case is a sharp and unreasonable change in mood, behavior and emotions. It is very difficult to distinguish when a person has an excessively changed mood, a manic, depressive state. Only doctors should do this.

Mood changes are normal if they are associated with some events or memories. But the appearance of disadaptation, disorder of behavior, the emergence of emotions that do not correspond to the situation, a violation of self-awareness, a violation of attention and adequacy in a given situation are already signs of a disease. The depressive phase can last several months or more. Manic – in short. During it, there are sleep disturbances, the emergence of many ideas and little-existing plans, there is a physical upsurge, there is a constant desire to change something. BAD is a complex breakdown of the body, in which not only the psyche suffers, but also somatic diseases become aggravated.

– Can BAD be prevented?

– The main prevention of BAD is to get to a specialist on time. Diagnosis should be timely and specialized. It is estimated that patients with bipolar disorder lose up to 9-10 years of normal life if the disease is not diagnosed in time and treatment is not started. In a depressed state, a person is not able to enjoy life and live it fully. He cannot work and make plans. Everything around him appears in gloomy colors. Such a person seems to be walking under a large black umbrella, which closes not only the horizon, but also everything that is nearby. Timely diagnosis and timely treatment improve the course of the disease, reduce the number of attacks and their duration. During remission, the patient can live a normal life, rejoice and enjoy it. But to go into remission, you need medications that only a doctor can prescribe.

– What should relatives do?

– BAD is a problem not only for those people who are ill, but also for those who live with them. Changes in mood from increased activity to aggression and apathy, of course, greatly affect ordinary life, the atmosphere in the house and create tension. Relatives need to prepare to understand that they need to behave correctly with a mentally ill person: calmly respond to his behavior, smooth out conflicts, monitor how he takes prescribed drugs and consult a doctor if the condition requires it. None of the diseases is a sentence. It all depends on the person. How he relates to his disease, how he accepts it, and how he fights with it. It is important that the patient himself helped himself in the treatment – he followed all the medical recommendations. If the doctor and the patient go towards each other, then the remission becomes longer.

Mood changes suddenly. How to live with a “bipolar”?

Kim Kardashian’s husband, rapper Kanye West, spoke well about this disease. On the cover of his album, he wrote: “I hate being bipolar, it’s amazing.” More precisely, you can’t say. Our expert is a psychiatrist of the highest category, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Psychiatry and Narcology, Director of the Institute of Electronic Medical Education of the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov, Doctor of Medical Sciences Marina Kinkulkina.

The essence of mental illness under the abbreviation BAD (bipolar affective disorder) is in radically sharp, causeless mood swings that occur in a person throughout life. Previously, this disease was called manic-depressive psychosis.

Life at different poles

This is not just about successive sadness or fun, as is often the case with emotional people, but about extreme degrees of either despair or euphoria. The change in these moods can take place both gradually and suddenly, and for no apparent reason.

It is believed that many celebrities of the past suffered from bipolar affective disorder. This illness, however, like other mental disorders, is attributed to Byron and Hemingway, Virginia Woolf and Edgar Poe, Van Gogh, Schumann, Vivien Leigh and many others. There is an assumption that even “our everything” suffered from a mild degree of BAD – in any case, contemporaries often mentioned Alexander Sergeevich’s mood swings.

Many modern stars openly admit to having this mental disorder. In particular, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Mariah Carey, Mel Gibson and others admitted this.

Genetics or lifestyle?

BAD also affects men, but the weaker sex more often. This violation can appear at any age: both in a teenager and in an elderly person.

The main risk factor is genetics. However, a specific gene that would be responsible for the development of BAD has not been identified. This is a polygenic disorder, so it does not make sense to take tests to find out how big the risk of getting sick is. Moreover, genetic predisposition is not yet a sentence. This was proven by studies on identical twins, one of whom developed bipolar disorder over the years, while the other did not. There are probably some predisposing factors involved. Some of them are known. It is believed that life at the limit of possibilities, with constant deadlines, stress and chronic sleep deprivation, as well as night shift work, frequent flights with significant change in hourly flights and, of course, the use of psychoactive substances contribute to the development of the disease. Therefore, all this should be avoided. But scientists have yet to find out how the lockdown and pandemic, as well as other stresses of the ill-fated 2020, affect the psyche. Though probably not in the best way.

Don’t get bored

BAD, according to various estimates, suffer from fractions of a percent to several percent of the population. Recently, the proportion of affective disorders has increased significantly, which can be explained by improved diagnostics (as well as an increase in the number of stresses).

At first glance, the BAR does not look like something scary and dangerous. To many, this disorder even seems attractive – sometimes sad, sometimes fun, in general, you won’t get bored. In addition, being different from everyone else is now fashionable. And then, it is believed that people with BAD have higher intelligence and creativity than the “gray masses”. But even if this is true, then none of those who suffer from it will definitely call BAD a pleasant thing. It is especially difficult for those patients who do not seek medical help on time. Without treatment, both phases of bipolar disorder can last for months (although sometimes the disorder occurs with frequently alternating phases). Moreover, it is impossible to say which of the periods of the disease is more difficult – manic or depressive.

It’s hard when the soul feels bad

Those who have experienced depression say that it is the worst thing that can happen. The whole world appears in black, not only mood, but also self-esteem is greatly reduced, the meaning of existence itself is lost. Life is perceived as a chain of tragic mistakes, the patient constantly blames himself for all the troubles and sins, even those that do not even exist. In addition to mental suffering, physical ones also often arise: a person moves as if in a dream, with difficulty, as if weights are weighed on his feet and hands, or as if he is swimming against the current. In addition, pain and tension are felt throughout the body. With an average degree of depression, the stomach often hurts. On this occasion, people turn to doctors, but the diagnosis cannot be made. And the daily pain continues. Psychiatrists call this somatoform symptomatology. With severe depression, many people have the so-called “precordial longing”: pain and heaviness in the chest, “a stone on the heart.” But even an in-depth examination does not reveal cardiological problems.

Often, with depression, patients (especially the elderly) complain of difficulty in thinking, memory impairment. Doctors suspect they have dementia, but in fact, affective disorders do not affect intelligence, and with treatment, when the mood stabilizes, mental abilities are restored.

But the worst consequence of depression is suicide. Most suicide attempts are made in this state. Sometimes people in a very pronounced depression, believing that they have done something irreparable, and believing that the consequences of their actions can harm loved ones, decide on extended suicides, in which they settle scores not only with their lives, but also take their loved ones with them ( more often than children).

Bad when too good

The manic stage of BAD is subjectively more pleasant. Patients are in a great mood: they love the whole world and themselves in it. The reflection in the mirror pleases, there is not the slightest doubt about one’s own talents and mind, there is more than enough strength and energy, a bonus is accelerated mental activity. Many patients in this stage sleep for an hour a day, but do not experience fatigue. Sometimes they are on their feet for days – and at least they are cheerful, like an “energizer”. It seems to be great. But no. In the mania phase, desires and ideas arise too quickly, so a person grabs at each new business, but, as a rule, does not complete any one. So productivity at this stage is low. But it would be nice if it was just that /

The main danger of mania is that a person has no criticism at this moment and he can do things that he will later regret very much. For example, he can give away all his property to others (sometimes to unfamiliar people or scammers). Or, say, take loans to go on a trip to the other side of the world. Maybe even steal something – for example, to make an expensive gift. Many patients at these moments enter into hasty intimate relationships, mistaking a chance meeting for the love of their lives (while completely “forgetting” that a wife and four children are waiting at home). Finally, often with mania, people, experiencing euphoria, ignore their severe somatic symptoms, as a result, they do not see a doctor for a long time and thus trigger a serious illness (pneumonia, for example, or COVID-19).

In addition, not all patients in the manic stage are “darlings.” Often they show unreasonable aggression if, for example, others do not agree with their “brilliant” ideas. As a result of “angry mania”, conflicts and even situations arise that require the intervention of law enforcement agencies and involuntary hospitalization of the patient.

Well Intentioned

The worst thing that relatives and friends of a person with bipolar disorder can do is ignore the problem, devalue suffering, while blaming the patient himself and appealing to his conscience. For example, they call on a depressed person to “pull himself together, not to become limp”, they say that he is “mad with fat” and so on. A patient at the stage of mania is most often accused of immorality, frivolity, irresponsibility, promiscuity in relationships, and so on. However, doing so is like blaming a person with diabetes for not being able to eat sweet cake, or a patient with heart failure for not running a marathon.

BAD is a disease like many others. And she needs to be treated. The sooner you start the right therapy, the sooner you can stabilize the patient’s condition and the better the further prognosis will be.

How to “cure”?

On the Internet, you can not only test yourself for any mental disorder, but also learn how to “cure”. Doctors strongly advise against doing this. The smallest harm of self-treatment is that it will not help, but it can also worsen the condition. For example, inadequate intake of antidepressants in bipolar disorder can plunge a person from a depressive phase into a severe manic state, from which it will then be difficult to get out.

Only a psychiatrist (and not a psychologist, neurologist or doctor of any other profile) can identify bipolar disorder and choose the right treatment. Treatment should be strictly individual, it is selected based on the characteristics of a particular patient and taking into account the moment in the course of the disease. The goal of therapy is not only to level the mood of the patient, but also to prevent repeated episodes.

In the treatment of bipolar disorder, the main role is played by drugs for stabilizing mood – mood stabilizers (lithium salts, some anticonvulsants (anticonvulsants) and antipsychotics of new generations). Modern drugs are much better tolerated than their predecessors, have fewer side effects, as they are designed for long-term use over many years. Against the background of their intake, women can even become pregnant. With depression within this disorder, antidepressants are prescribed only in exceptional cases, given the danger of changing from one phase to another.

BAD cannot be cured once and for all, so you often have to take medication for years (with periodic visits to the doctor). But often, when a patient begins to feel good thanks to the medication (such a state – intermission – is completely indistinguishable from full health), he can stop taking the drugs. This is a big mistake that does not allow to achieve a stable result of treatment. After all, it is the long-term use of the maintenance therapy recommended by the doctor that allows you to achieve a stable state and feel the joy of life for many years.