If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you might be wondering what symptoms of bipolar depression are likely to be present. Depressed mood often feels like the worse kind of low: completely disengaged from daily life, without interest in anything, but heavily burdened by an intense feeling of hopelessness and doom. Bipolar disorder and clinical depression are both regarded as major mood disorders. Bipolar disorder frequently causes emotional highs (mania) and lows (depression), while clinical depression often causes a chronically low mood lasting weeks or months. Mania is characterized by inflated self-esteem, risky behavior, exaggerated perceptions of self-worth, increased sexual activity, racing thoughts, and racing emotions; while clinical depression is characterized by deep feelings of sadness, guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness.
Irritability is a common but subtle symptom of bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder tend to get angry easily, especially at things that don't really deserve any attention. In short, irritability can be seen as the opposite of elated. Some common signs of irritability in people with bipolar disorder include: being easily agitated over small matters such as not getting the job done, not accomplishing a simple task, and losing your temper when you are criticized by others. This symptom can also be seen in people who have normal mood fluctuations, who get angry for seemingly irrational reasons.
Another of the symptoms of bipolar disorder is insomnia or sleeping too much. Insomnia can cause drastic changes in someone's lifestyle, as someone who is normally able to sleep well can suddenly find themselves not able to sleep at all. Insomnia can also lead to significant disruptions in someone's daily life, causing them to lose interest in things they used to take pleasure in, making them more vulnerable to depression and anxiety.
Another of the bipolar disorder symptoms is an impulse to want to suicide. It can be very difficult to live with bipolar disorder, as the episodes can be extremely disruptive to the everyday life of a person. These episodes can last anywhere from several hours to days, depending on the severity of the episode. If left unchecked, this impulse can grow in strength, and if it is not arrested can result in suicide attempts or suicide by self-harm. This symptom is often seen in people who have already attempted suicide at least one time.
Loss of interest in sex is another of the symptoms of bipolar disorder that can make the disorder much more challenging to live with. When one is suffering from episodes of mania or depression, this effect can quickly become dominant, making it nearly impossible to function normally without some level of sexual experience. Because the change in feeling results in decreased sexual interest, it can have a detrimental affect on one's relationship with their partner. Because these episodes typically occur in cycles, it can be difficult to determine which cycle has triggered a particular episode.
Another of the symptoms of bipolar disorder that can make it very challenging to deal with is rapid cycling. Rapid cycling refers to an unpredictable change in the patterns of mood and behavior that characterize bipolar disorder. Because there are times when a person experiences high moods that they later return to, rapid cycling is often confused with bipolar disorder. However, in these instances the moods are actually shifting rapidly between periods of high elation and deep sadness. This type of cycling can occur up to several times a week.
Another of the symptoms of bipolar disorder that can have a profound impact on one's quality of life is extreme optimism. Someone who is suffering from these mood swings will often believe that everything will go right. Even when things do not go right, they believe that they will be able to handle them in a much better manner. This can make it difficult to perform daily tasks such as working or school, as one's moods can often disrupt these activities. In addition to feeling overly positive, individuals who suffer from this disorder may also have extremely exaggerated self-esteem. In short, they will believe that they are superior to others and will excessively project their own accomplishments on the world around them.
While many of the symptoms of bipolar depression can be associated with other medical conditions such as thyroid dysfunction, hyperthyroidism, or anxiety disorders, people who are diagnosed with this disorder are still considered to be having a normal depression or mania. It is only once the patient has become fully affected that the hypomanic and depressive symptoms begin to become apparent. When this occurs, the individual may experience euphoria for short amounts of time. When this euphoria fades, the individual will experience severe anxiety and will likely engage in repeated behaviors that are designed to prevent them from returning to reality. As the condition progresses, the patient will often become obsessed with preventing or eliminating any symptoms of depression or mania so that they may return to a normal state of mind.
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