Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Bipolar Disorder Checklist - I Think I Might Be Bipolar


Bipolar disorder can be a challenging thing to spot, because it contains both depressive and manic symptoms. This article will explore common symptoms to help those that think they may have it learn more.

Bipolar disorder consists of both manic and depressive states. Please note, you could have one most of the time, and experience the other only occasionally, and you would still be considered to have Bipolar.

A manic or state of mania typically consists of:

An elevated mood
Decreased need for sleep
Sudden weight loss
Impulsive
Reckless
Poor concentration

Reading over those symptoms, you may think to yourself, everyone experiences those at one time or another and you are right. To be considered a clinical manic state, the symptoms need to be more severe.

A depressed state typically consists of:

A depressed mood
Sleeping too much
Loss of interest
Decreased motivation
No desire to be social

This general overview of the symptoms is certainly not extensive, and is only meant to give you an idea of what to look for. Again I want to stress that in order to meet a clinical depressed state, you need to be experiencing this to a degree that it is having a negative impairment on your life. For example, a depressed state could hold you back from getting to work. Another example would be if it would start to impact your marriage, or the relationships of those around you in a negative fashion.

If you feel that you might be bipolar, and have seen symptoms that have been having a negative impact on your life, I would encourage you to seek professional help. Bipolar disorder is very treatable, there is hope!

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