Most of the time when people are describing a person as “bipolar,” what they really mean is that this person is being “moody” or experiencing a mood swing. It’s completely normal to have ups and downs on a day to day basis. Humans can change their minds a lot, especially in response to certain stimuli – going from happy to sad when coming across a homeless person, going from bored to happy when seeing a best friend, or going from a chill mood to becoming extremely stressed out when remembering one forgot about an assignment due the same night. Many other factors can also contribute to mood changes throughout the days, such as: the weather, the time of the day, whether meals were eaten/skipped, not getting enough sleep, etc. Some might change their minds constantly and some not at all, but that’s to be expected as people come with different personalities and thought processes. Feeling different moods, whether they be positive or negative, are part of the human experience, but when does it go from merely mood swings to a bipolar disorder?
One indicator of a bipolar disorder is experiencing moods that go to the far extremes on both ends of the spectrum. This means experiencing extremely high highs (called the manic phase) and extremely low lows (called the depressed phase) that are far more intense and much longer lasting than normal shifts in mood. For example, during a manic phase, a person will have a lot of energy and be in a really happy mood. During the depression phase, it’s the complete opposite – the person will experience low energy and be in a bad mood. A person with bipolar disorder alternates between episodes of mania and depression. For instance, staying in bed for a week straight because they feel unhappy, apathetic, or suicidal and then having a period of non-stop partying, not getting enough sleep, coming up with grand plans that may not be feasible, etc. Bipolar disorder can manifest differently in different people. Some might be more prone to the depressive phase and some might be more prone to the manic phases, with varying frequencies and severities.
Many suffering from bipolar disorder can experience some or all of the following symptoms (According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the DSM-5 is what mental health experts refer to when diagnosing.)
- During a manic phase, symptoms can include:
- Increased activity, energy, abnormally upbeat
- Inflated sense of self /grandiosity (unrealistic sense of superiority)
- Decreased need for sleep (feels rested after only 2-3 hours of sleep)
- Rapid/racing thoughts (brain going 100 miles per hour)
- More talkative than usual/ feels pressure to keep talking
- Tendency to be easily distracted
- Increased recklessness/excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (ex: spending all money in bank account)
- Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation
- During a depressive phase, symptoms can include:
- Depressed mood all of the day, nearly everyday
- Loss of interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities
- Significant weight loss or decrease or increase in appetite
- Insomnia or excessively sleeping (sleeping more or less than normal)
- Fatigue and loss of energy
- Decreased ability to think, concentrate or make decisions
- Feeling guilty or worthless
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation
