Symptoms: People with Bipolar Disorder may experience intense emotions, changes in activity levels and sleep patterns and unusual behaviors. These periods are called Mood episodes. There are 2 distinct episodes, Manic episode and Depressive episode. Depressive episode: feeling sad, empty and hopeless, have decreased activity levels, forget a lot of things and may even have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Manic episode: feeling "high" or "elated", increased activity levels, feel like they can multi-task, and often partake in risky behaviors. One with Bipolar Disorder does not necessarily fit into one episode. This is called a mixed feature episode. A person experiencing this could feel sad and hopeless while also feeling energized and productive.
Diagnosis: 1. Consult a Doctor for a physical and mental exam. 2. Get a referral for a psychiatrist. 3. Create and follow an effective treatment plan.