UNDERSTANDING BIPOLAR DISORDER

Why this resource is helpful:

"There are many misconceptions when it comes to bipolar disorder. Some people do not want to tell others about they are bipolar because they feel ashamed or fear judgement. It would be nice if all mental health disorders became more understood and less taboo, but we"ll start with bipolar disorder today.

THE BASICS
There are two types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Both type I and II are characterized by swings between elevated moods and periods of depression, but with Bipolar I the manic episodes are more extreme in nature.

Bipolar I Disorder
To be diagnosed with Bipolar I a person would have experienced one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes (that"s when symptoms of both mania and depression are present within the same period), the symptoms cause social or occupational distress or impairment, and the occurrence is not better explained by another mental health disorder

WHAT IS A MANIC EPISODE
A persistent elevated, expansive, or irritable mood for at least one week and present for most of the day, nearly every day

At least 3 of the following (4 if irritable) are present during the episode

Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity

Decreased need for sleep

Increased talkativeness

Flight of ideas or racing thoughts

Distractibility

Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation

Increase in risky behavior

Level of severity is enough to cause social or occupational impairment, hospitalization, or psychotic features

Symptoms are not due to a substance or medical condition"

Search Mental Health Providers Find Similar Resources

Related resources: