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Bipolar symptoms

What are genuine bipolar symptoms?

Discover the real symptoms of bipolar disorder. Don't be one of the misinformed crowd who confuses bipolar with other illnesses and personality problems.

In some ways "bipolar" was easier to understand back when it was commonly known as "manic-depressive illness". This is because bipolar is all about mood swings. These are mood changes that are more pronounced then the usual ups and downs we all experience from day to day.

How extreme do these mood swings have to be? Psychiatrists use their professional handbook, the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM) in order to diagnose if mood swings are serious enough to be symptoms of bipolar disorder.

We will follow these official, professional definitions below:

Depression symptoms

Depression involves feelings of sadness and emptiness or a loss of pleasure or interest in things. These feelings last most of the day, on most days for at least 2 weeks. These symptoms are severe enough to impact negatively on work, relationships and everyday life.

Symptoms of depression include:

1. Feeling sadness or emptiness.
2. Losing interest or pleasure in one's usual enjoyments.
3. Changes in appetite (up OR down), and/or substantial and unplanned loss of weigh or weight gain.
4. Insomnia.
5. Excessive tiredness or sleepiness, and/or lack of energy.
6. Restlessness and agitation.
7. Reduced sex drive.
8. Lack of motivation.
9. Feeing worthless.
10. Feeling guilty about things you are not responsible for.
11. Indecision.
12. "Fuzzy" thinking or problems concentrating.
13. Thoughts of self harm or suicide.
14. Hallucinations.
15. Delusions.

Symptoms of mania

The word "manic" is often thrown around quite casually, but for genuine bipolar symptoms, mania must have some very definite characteristics. Specifically, to meet a diagnosis of mania, the mood changes must last for at least a week, or be so severe that hospitalisation is required. These bipolar disorder symptoms cause significant disturbance to work, relationships and daily life.

Symptoms of bipolar mania include:

1. Exaggerated high opinion of oneself.
2. Beliefs that one has great talents or gifts that extend beyond reality.
3. Hallucinations.
4. Reduced need for sleep.
5. Talking more than usual.
6. Pressure to keep talking.
7. Skipping from one idea to the next so there is a fragmented flow of thought.
8. Racing thoughts.
9. Easily distracted but some short periods of very focused attention.
10. Feeling restless and agitated, for example finding it hard to sit still.
11. Increase in goal directed activities, related to social, work, school, or sexual pursuits.
12. Excessive engagement in pleasurable activities without thought to their distressing consequences, such as big spending sprees, gambling, sexual indiscretions, poor business investments.

Symptoms of hypomania

Hypomania is a milder form of mania, and may result in a diagnosis of Bipolar Type II or "soft" bipolar. The symptoms of bipolar mania and hypomania are the same - what is different is the DURATION and INTENSITY of the bipolar symptoms.

In hypomania, the symptoms must last for at least 4 days and are not serious enough to require hospitalisation.

For an excellent discussion of the many and varied ways the symptoms of being bipolar can manifest, see The many faces and facets of bp from the wonderful BP Magazine.

See also this description of major bipolar disorder symptoms from a leading bipolar research institute.

And remember, bipolar symptoms are all about mood swings - there must have been BOTH depression AND mania/hypomania. Learn how to tell is it depression or bipolar?

Also, be careful of the confusion around bipolar disorder self injury.

SEXUAL ISSUES are amongst the most common, but least discussed symptoms:

"A very common symptom in maniacal conditions is erotic excitement. This varies from mere coquetry, an extended application of the command "love one another", an undue attenion to the opposite sex, up to extreme salacity, when the mind is wholly occupied by urgent sexual appetite, and all restraint abandoned." - DANIEL HACK TUKE (1827-1895)

If you are concerned that you or your partner are addicted to the Internet, in danger of being unfaithful, or if bipolar is otherwise damaging your relationship, I recommend the book Married to Mania. It is full of useful guidance from someone who has been there!

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