Bipolar Disorder
During the low times, the person may feel very depressed, hopeless and despairing. They may self-harm or become suicidal. They can lose their energy and not be able to see the point in going on. They may withdraw socially and stop being able to care for themselves. When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities.
During the high times, the person can feel confident, optimistic and as if nothing can touch them. They may feel happy and creative but can also lose their inhibitions, spend recklessly or make unrealistic plans. They might make unwise choices about relationships or lifestyle, and put themselves at risk.
When your mood shifts to mania or hypomania (less extreme than mania), you may feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.
Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year. While most people will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes, some may not experience any. The mood changes may happen over a period of weeks, months or years, or may be quicker and last only days or hours, depending on the type of bipolar the person has.
Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, you can manage your mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
Psychosis – seeing, hearing or thinking things which are not part of reality - can also be a feature of bipolar disorder, both in depressed and manic states.
The exact causes of bipolar disorder are not known. It can run in families, so someone with a relative who has bipolar may have a higher chance of developing it themselves. It may also be caused by problems in the part of the brain which regulates our moods. Episodes may also be triggered by stress.
Young people who are diagnosed with bipolar often have their first episode during their teens or in early adulthood. It is now recognized that some younger children also suffer from bipolar but diagnosis in children is still rare. This is partly because normal behaviour before and around puberty, caused by the brain developing and hormone changes, can also include mood swings and erratic behaviour.
Both a manic and a hypomanic episode include three or more of these symptoms:- Abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired
- Increased activity, energy or agitation
- Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)
- Decreased need for sleep
- Unusual talkativeness
- Racing thoughts
- Distractibility
- Poor decision-making — for example, going on buying sprees, taking sexual risks or making foolish investments
Symptoms of bipolar disorder can be difficult to identify in children and teens. It's often hard to tell whether these are normal ups and downs, the results of stress or trauma, or signs of a mental health problem other than bipolar disorder.
Children and teens may have distinct major depressive or manic or hypomanic episodes, but the pattern can vary from that of adults with bipolar disorder. And moods can rapidly shift during episodes. Some children may have periods without mood symptoms between episodes.
The most prominent signs of bipolar disorder in children and teenagers may include severe mood swings that are different from their usual mood swings.