Bipolar is a mental health condition that involves mood swings like emotional highs (mania and hypomania) and lows (periods of depression). People face a mixture of feelings, sometimes feeling happy and depressed at the same time. So, isn’t it a good idea to be aware of early bipolar disorder symptoms? Because it affects so many people’s lives and can high impact on their quality of life if it is untreated.
Identifying early borderline personality disorder symptoms is mandatory in invention and effective management. Let’s see the 10 warning signs of bipolar disorder that you shouldn’t ignore.
1- Impulsive & Risky Behavior
Bipolar disorder is the main issue, and when mania/ hypomania stages are present, an individual cannot control his/her actions or behaviors and their consequences. Some other signs of bipolar disorder are dangerous, like driving carelessly, spending more, being abusive, making impulsive decisions in life and relationships, and many more. Such behaviors, often resulting in negative impact, are driven by elevated rates of perceived immortality or the desire for immediate gratification.
2- Sleeping Disturbance
This is a very ordinary symptom in individuals with bipolar disorder. They also don’t require any sleep during the manic episodes, which means one can be awake for several days and still not feel exhausted. On the other hand, with borderline personality disorder symptoms, they may feel sleepy all the time, may have insomnia, or wake up at odd hours. These each show sleep disturbances that worsen moods and create difficulty in establishing a regular schedule.
3- Difficulty in Making Decisions
People who have bipolar disorder have concentration problems all the time; they can’t make the right decisions. The signs of bipolar disorder include trouble focusing, remembering key details, or making basic decisions. People typically experience frustration, helplessness, and hopelessness. During the manic stage, so many ideas come into people’s minds and cause distractions quickly, which makes it challenging to stick to the schedule.
4- Extreme Mood Swings
One of the most obvious borderline personality disorder symptoms is mood swings that go beyond mood changes. During manic or hypomanic episodes, people might feel exceptionally high, full of energy, or aggressive, followed by major depressive episodes when a person is sad and hopeless and may have little interest in activities that they enjoyed before. These mood changes may happen daily, weekly, monthly, or over some time, and the mood shift may be much more profound than normal.
5- Feeling Guilty and Worthlessness
When it comes to signs of bipolar disorder, people feel so guilty, self-blame, or worthless. They may regret past mistakes or consider themselves failures, even though these thoughts have no basis. These feelings can be exhausting and contribute to the overall intensity of depressive phases, leading to thinking about self-harm.
6- Thinking About Suicide
One of the most severe signs of bipolar disorder is thinking about suicide, especially in depression time. This can range from passive thoughts of wanting to die to attempting suicide. It’s a risky sign that needs to be given attention, as the risk of suicide is higher in people with bipolar disorder as compared to normal people. If you see any people who are constantly thinking about dying, it’s essential to seek professional help.
7- Irritability and Anxiety
Mania is frequently associated with high mood and euphoria, although other notable symptoms can include irritability and anxiety. In a manic or hypomanic state, the patient may get irritated, angry, or have low patience, resulting in quarrels or challenges. This is a further indication of a change that may not necessarily present with other signs of mania, especially where the patient is not extremely hyperactive.
8- Loss of Interest in Activities
You can also notice that people lose interest in activities that they enjoyed a lot in the past. This is also one of the borderline personality disorder symptoms, and people call it anhedonia. This can include hobbies, relationships, work, or interaction. This disinterest can be overwhelming and have an impact on almost every part of their lives, which exacerbates depression and increases feelings of loneliness.
9- Rapid Speech and Racing Thoughts
Pressure and racing of ideas are considered to be the cardinal features of manic or hypomanic episodes in bipolar disorder. At such a time, a person might speak faster, shift from one idea to the other and even have difficulty in thinking. This can be a challenge when in the middle of a conversation and usually results in others being easily intimidated. Regarding borderline personality disorder symptoms, the person may also suffer from distractibility, which in activity may be translated to mean that the person develops a tendency to come up with many ideas at one time, thus unable to complete a single task.
10- Changes in Energy Levels
Bipolar disorder is defined as having fluctuations in mood and energy levels of varying extent. The cognitive symptoms include body abnormalities and thought disorders, such as uncontrollable drive or pressure, urgency, and restlessness. Manic episodes make people take multiple activities in quick series without completing any of them. However, depressive episodes may lead them to experience fatigue, tiredness, and major role disability of the day’s chore. Such fluctuations of energy can also be signs of bipolar disorder, as a patient may switch from high to low states very quickly.
Recognize the Signs of Bipolar Disorder and Seeking Help
Make sure to pay particular attention to the first indications of bipolar disorder if such symptoms are experienced by either the male or female or any family member. They should seek medical attention. Bipolar disorder is treatable when diagnosed early, and this involves the process of therapy, medication as well as changes in lifestyles.
However, it is worth reminding that although these signs can suggest bipolar disorder, they can also associated with many other mental disorders. It is vital to get a proper diagnosis from a mental health specialist to find out which course of action needs to be taken. Borderline personality disorder symptoms are chronic; however, the disorder does not have to hinder the affected individuals, and they can live a normal happy, and productive life if they manage it properly.
Cure of Bipolar Disorder
- If you have any symptoms of mania or depression, Antipsychotics will be helpful for you. Other alternatives include Quetiapine, Olanzapine & Aripiprazole etc.
- Psychotherapy is a good option because it helps to change negative thoughts and behaviors.
- Maintaining and balancing the daily routine also assists in mood stabilization such as meals, exercise, or sleeping patterns.
- Contacting people who already suffered from bipolar disorder can give you practical suggestions and emotional support.
- Determining and avoiding triggers, such as sleep loss, substance abuse, and significant stressors, is important for managing bipolar disorder.
In the End
Bipolar disorder is an illness that most people suffer which is characterized by a cycle of elevated and depressed mood. Diagnosing borderline personality disorder symptoms is not easy peasy because everyone has different symptoms. Research shows that up to 60% of patients with bipolar disorder also abuse, taking alcohol or drugs, complicating diagnosis and treatment. The illness can be very severe during this time and typically manifests in your late teens.
