Bipolar 1 Disorder: Signs And Warnings

Bipolar disorder is a mental disease wherein extreme mood swings can be observed. Abrupt mood changes from mania to depression and vice versa can be manifested by a person suffering from this disease. In the manic phase, the person may experience mania or the extremely elevated, irritable and expansive mood. He can also feel highly energetic and may need very little rest.

During the depressive phase, he can have feelings of extreme self rejection, low self esteem and too much loneliness. During these times of depression, the person can also suffer from very low energy level and fatigue.

This mental disease is also known in other names such as manic depression and bipolar affective disorder. Bipolar disorder can be classified into two types: bipolar 1 disorder and bipolar 2.

What is Bipolar Type 1?

It is not easy to tell what kind of mental disorder a person suffers from. Intelligent observation and keen understanding of the underlying signs and symptoms are necessary. There are also tools that can be used in order to be certain about the type of disorder. The types of bipolar disorders can be determined from the patterns and the severity of the symptoms being manifested by the person suffering from it. It depends on episodes of the highs and lows in a person’s mood.

Bipolar 1 disorder is one of the two main types of bipolar disorder and it is the more severe type. In a one week observation period, it will be noted that a person suffering from bipolar type 1 disorder will shift from mania to depression and vice versa almost everyday. The mixed episodes can be observed. At some time, the person will manifest one or more manic episodes and then one or more episodes of depression at another time. Episodes of bipolar 1 disorder can be troublesome. It can hinder the normal functioning of the person and result in a job loss, broken relationships, money problems and abuse of substances such as drugs and alcohol.

Signs That You Suffer From It

There are many signs that a person is suffering from bipolar type 1 disorder. Although it needs careful investigation before you can tell for sure that a person suffer from this mental disease, here are some of signs that they manifest.

During the manic episodes, the person may feel highly energetic with very little need for sleep and rest. They have racing thoughts that cause them to talk rapidly as well. They experience a feeling of euphoria and also extreme irritability. They believe in super powers to the point of being unrealistic. They experience an increase in sexual drive and they have an overly aggressive behavior. They exhibit poor judgment and they resort to substance abuse.

During the major depressive episodes the person feels that he is insignificant. He does not have self worth and has very low energy level. This is the time when the person becomes restless, can not sleep and lose appetite. The person experiences extreme sadness, anxiousness and emptiness during the episodes of major depression. They tend to be too pessimistic and hopeless.

It is also during these episodes that the person experiences pains with body symptoms that are hard to trace. The person could really feel the pain but they are not caused by physical disease. They are products of the imagination. Persistent attacks of major depression can result in suicide attempts. 

It is helpful if the person or the relatives detect the signs of bipolar 1 disorder early. This way, proper medical attention will be given to the person before the mental disease starts to become severe. It is also important to be very watchful among children and adolescent because it is harder to tell when they are suffering from the disease and they are more prone to self destruction.

Available Treatment

There are available treatments for bipolar 1 disorder. They are usually psychotherapy or medication, a combination of the two. It is important to seek proper professional help from the time that the person start showing signs that he is suffering from it.

Bipolar 1 disorder is a highly treatable disease although extreme patience is necessary during the process. The length of time that the person will recover will depend on many factors but the main ingredient is the full cooperation from all the people around him. Also, early detection will lead to better chances of recovery.