What is Bipolar Disorder?
What are the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
How is Bipolar treated?
Why is it that all of the sudden you have all of these symptoms?
What should I NOT say to someone with Bipolar?
What should I do if I suspect that I, or someone I love, has Bipolar or other type of mental health issue?
What can I do if a friend or family member had Bipolar or another type of mental health issue?
Are you only going to write about your Bipolar now?
If I have a question, may I contact you?

What is Bipolar Disorder?
In my own words, it is a mood disorder that causes extreme mood swings from the depths of depressive episodes to the heights of hypo-manic and manic episodes. Most people also experience normal moods, as well.

Definition by the National Institute of Mental Health:
“Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They are different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through from time to time”

What are the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
Here are the symptoms as outlined from the National Institute of Mental Health:
“People with bipolar disorder experience unusually intense emotional states that occur in distinct periods called “mood episodes.” An overly joyful or overexcited state is called a manic episode, and an extremely sad or hopeless state is called a depressive episode. Sometimes, a mood episode includes symptoms of both mania and depression. This is called a mixed state. People with bipolar disorder also may be explosive and irritable during a mood episode.

Extreme changes in energy, activity, sleep, and behavior go along with these changes in mood. It is possible for someone with bipolar disorder to experience a long-lasting period of unstable moods rather than discrete episodes of depression or mania.

A person may be having an episode of bipolar disorder if he or she has a number of manic or depressive symptoms for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least one or two weeks. Sometimes symptoms are so severe that the person cannot function normally at work, school, or home.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder are described below.

Symptoms of a Manic Episode Include:
Mood Changes

• A long period of feeling “high” or an overly happy or outgoing mood
• Extremely irritable mood, agitation, feeling “jumpy” or “wired”

Behavioral Changes

• Talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another, having racing thoughts
• Being easily distracted
• Increasing goal-directed activities, such as taking on new projects
• Being restless
• Less need for sleep or sleeping less
• Having an unrealistic belief in one’s abilities
• Behaving impulsively
• Taking part in a lot of pleasurable, high-risk behaviors, such as spending sprees, impulsive sex or impulsive business investments

Symptoms of a Depressive Episode Include:
Mood Changes:

• A long period of feeling worried or empty
• Loss of interest in or pleasure from activities once enjoyed, including sex

Behavioral Changes:

• Feeling tired or “slowed down”
• Having problems concentrating, remembering and making decisions
• Being restless or irritable
• Changing eating, sleeping or other habits
• Thinking of death or suicide or attempting suicide

In addition to mania and depression, bipolar disorder can cause a range of moods, as shown on the scale.

One side of the scale includes severe depression, moderate depression, and mild low mood. Moderate depression may cause less extreme symptoms, and mild low mood is called dysthymia when it is chronic or long-term. In the middle of the scale is normal or balanced mood.

At the other end of the scale are hypomania and severe mania. Some people with bipolar disorder experience hypomania. During hypomanic episodes, a person may have increased energy and activity levels that are not as severe as typical mania, or he or she may have episodes that last less than a week and do not require emergency care. A person having a hypomanic episode may feel very good, be highly productive, and function well. This person may not feel that anything is wrong even as family and friends recognize the mood swings as possible bipolar disorder. Without proper treatment, however, people with hypomania may develop severe mania or depression.

During a mixed state, symptoms often include agitation, trouble sleeping, major changes in appetite, and suicidal thinking. People in a mixed state may feel very sad or hopeless while feeling extremely energized.”

How is Bipolar treated?
The primary treatment is medication. There are several different types of medications that are used, and people usually have to try a few different kinds before finding one that works for them. Medication is one of the biggest reasons it is difficult to accept the diagnosis of Bipolar, in my opinion. Accepting the diagnosis means you are accepting the fact that you will need medication for the rest of your life. This was difficult for me. I like to think that I have no limitations and can do things all by myself. This is neither Biblical nor true, but what my flesh likes to believe. Accepting that I will always have to rely on medication blows all of that for good.

Why is it that all of the sudden you have all of these symptoms?
The answer to that is two fold. First, stress is a huge trigger for bipolar, and over the last two years, our life has become increasingly more and more stressful. It is extremely common for someone to have their first major bipolar episode following a big life change or traumatic event. This last year my depressive episodes have become much lower and much deeper. This is what finally pushed Jeff and I to seek some answers. Secondly, I didn’t realize how abnormal my brain was until I started sharing details with other people and my doctors. I think everyone believes that the things that are normal for them are normal for everyone. Apparently, that is not necessrily the case. 🙂

I didn’t realize that the way I was feeling when I would say that I was down, was not the same way a friend was feeling when she would say the same thing. I also didn’t realize how fast my thoughts were racing until I had to start communicating them and couldn’t verbalize them as fast as my brain was thinking them. As I have read more and more about Bipolar, I have identified so many of my thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are actually symptoms and extremely common to someone with the condition.

Probably the most eye opening thing was that right after I had a medication increase, I actually had three symptom free days of a completely normal mood. I was shocked at how different it was. My brain felt calm and quiet for the first time in a very long time. I was free of the negative whispers and also the “urgent” tasks racing through my mind. Just quiet. It was wonderful!

What should I NOT say to someone with Bipolar?

“I used to get manic, but I grew out of it.”
– You don’t ‘grow out’ of bipolar. It is a life long condition. You either have it or you don’t. Not only is this invalidating, but it implies that if the sufferer would just grow up and mature, they would get better.

“I know how you feel. I was so depressed yesterday because I _______.”
– It’s perfectly fine to say you felt depressed about something. Everyone has their ups and downs, and you have every right to use whatever words you choose to describe your feelings. However saying you “know how you feel” to someone in the throws of depression because you broke a vase is inaccurate. I’m guessing that broken vase did not make it impossible for you to get your house picked up, cook a real meal or wish you just wouldn’t wake up the next day.

“I used to get depressed, but then I started ________, and I got all better.”
(Fill in the blank with exercising, a new Bible study, yoga, whatever.)
– Again, maybe you did or didn’t actually suffer from depression. Sharing your experience is great! However, if someone with bipolar is expressing how they are feeling, and this is the kind of response you give, it can be quite frustrating. Changing or adding one thing to a bipolar’s life will never make them “all better”. There are definitely things that can help or worsen the condition, but they are not a cure. A more sensitive way to share your thoughts would be, “When I used to deal with depression, I would ______, and it really helped me. Have you tried that?”

All of that being said, most people with Bipolar understand that even you say something that is offensive or frustrating, that you had no mal intent. It is similar to me before we adopted and became immersed into the adoption community. I said and did all of the wrong things to other adoptive parents, but I didn’t realize this until we were educated on adoption and attachment issues. The best thing is to try to be sensitive, but don’t walk on eggshells. 🙂

What should I do if I suspect that I, or someone I love, has Bipolar or other type of mental health issue?
The best thing to do is find a good Psychiatrist and make an appointment. Going to a psychologist, counselor, or PA in Psychiatry is not the best course of action. If you live around me, I would be glad to recommend two different Psychiatrists that came highly recommended to me, and that I think are phenomenal. Having a good doctor is priceless!

What can I do if a friend or family member had Bipolar or another type of mental health issue?
First, extend compassion when the person is having an episode. It is extremely frustrating to feel like your brain is being hijacked and have to question every thought you have and impulse you feel to determine whether it is based in reality or coming from the Bipolar.

Secondly, educate yourself. The Internet has made information highly accessible, and the more you know about a condition, the more you can help. The National Institute of Mental Health website is a great place to start!

Also, I found this workbook super helpful when I was diagnosed (the second time).  It’s called The Bipolar Workbook: Tools for Controlling Your Mood Swings, and it really helped me understand how the illness affected me and gave me tools to cope with it.

Are you only going to write about your Bipolar now?
Nope. I intend to keep blogging about the same types of things I have in the past. I felt like this was a really important issue that should be addressed, so I dedicated a few posts to the topic. Also, I try to be really authentic on here, so I just don’t know how I would have kept on blogging without sharing this part of my life. Bipolar is a condition I have, not who I am. 🙂

If I have a question, may I contact you?
Of course! You can reach me at Jessica at fiveinsix dot com.