Recognizing Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder is a complex illness and symptoms may vary widely amongst individuals. The DSM-IV criteria are a commonly used framework to help clinicians reach a diagnosis.

Bipolar Disorder is characterised by mood swings from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression). While everyone feels happy and sad at times, people with Bipolar Disorder feel these far more extremely and changes in mood can be sudden. These mood swings are known as episodes or cycles.

Below are some of the symptoms that may characterise Bipolar Disorder:

Mania

Three or more of these symptoms are present and have lasted for more than a week:

• Self-esteem is often inflated, can include grandiose ideas
• Decreased need for sleep (e.g. feels rested after 3 hours of sleep)
• More talkative than usual
• Ideas are prolific or a belief that thoughts are racing
• Easily distracted
• Increased goal-directed activity (this can lead to reckless behaviour - socially, at work or sexually)
• Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that are often high risk and have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g. spending sprees, sexual indiscretions, high risk business investments)

Hypomania is mania that lasts for shorter periods. The distinction between mania and hypomania may be difficult, however usually the level of impaired functioning is greater for mania than hypomania. There is usually no hospitalisation required for hypomania and an absence of psychotic features.

Depression

Five or more of these symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period (depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure must be one of the symptoms):

• Depressed mood (feeling sad or empty or appears tearful)
• Noticeable loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
• Significant change in body weight or appetite (more or less)
• Insomnia or excessive sleep
• Mental or physical slowing or restlessness
• Low energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
• Reduced ability to concentrate
• Recurrent thoughts of death, thoughts or attempts at suicide

Mixed Episodes

The rapid alternation between mania and depression every day for at least a week.

Rapid Cycling

People with four or more episodes of mania, hypomania, mixed state or depression in the preceding 12 months are described as rapid cycling.

Psychosis

Psychotic symptoms are often found in the very extreme cases of mania with the manifestation usually being in a distortion of reality through hallucinations or delusions, or really bizarre activity

Source: http://www.bipolar.com.au