Bipolar disorder is a condition that affects millions of people in the United States and around the world. What makes clinical diagnosis of this condition so difficult is that symptoms tend to fall on a continuum. A person can be at any of the four main stages of bipolar disorder: manic, hypomania, depression and mixed and still be suffering from the condition. Western science often has a hard time with these kinds of issues so simply looking at someone and diagnosing them can be tough. To truly know if someone is bipolar, you’ll need to observe their behavior over a period of time. If these sorts of mood issues are present, seek the advice of a medical professional.
The most difficult thing about properly diagnosing a manic episode is that, on the surface, it may not seem like a person is sick or suffering at all. To Western medicine, a person is only sick if they are bleeding or crying or in a great deal of pain. With a manic episode, at least at first, a person can appear to be happier than they’ve ever been in their life. A person will be full of energy and creativity. They’ll speak very rapidly, almost like they were on an illegal drug. They’ll want to engage with other people and talk for hours.
The problems start after the manic episode has been going on for a while. The mood begins to fray and arguments break out. A person will begin to act very irritable and defensive. In extreme cases, a person can start hearing voices. By itself, a manic episode may not be enough to properly diagnose someone as being bipolar. It is only when this mood is combined with the others that a pattern begins to emerge.
A hypomania episode is a slightly calmer version of an all-out manic episode. In this case, a person is often able to retain a normal, calm faade while the mania is raging inside them. If may look like they are just in a really good mood that day. However, signs of mania begin to break through. You may notice that the person is engaging in behavior that is unhealthy. They may consider themselves invincible or they may be acting very reckless. Often times, a hypomania case will become a full blown case of mania if left untreated.
Perhaps the most dangerous mood associated with bipolar disorder is known as a mixed episode. As the name suggests, a mixed episode takes elements from both manic and depressive moods and combines them. The most common mixed episode takes the emotions that a person feels when they are depressed and mixes them with the energy and frantic elements of a manic episode. Many doctors believe that it is this mood above all others that contributes to suicides. If you know someone that is suffering from a mixed episode, it is important that you reassure them that they aren’t alone.
One final mood that is common in cases of bipolar disorder is a mixed episode. This is often the most confusing of all the moods as it takes elements from both depression and from manic episodes. The most common mixed mood takes the emotions associated with depression and mixes them with the energy and frantic feelings of being manic. Some doctors believe that it is this mixed feeling that leads many bipolar sufferers to suicide. If you feel that someone you know is suffering from a mixed mood, do not leave them alone and do everything you can to ensure that they get the help they need.
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