What is Bipolar Disorder?

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a brain-based illness which causes people to experience periods of unusually intense emotion, changes in sleep patterns and activity levels, and unusual behaviors. These distinct periods are called “mood episodes.” Mood episodes are drastically different from the moods and behaviors that are typical for the person. Extreme changes in energy, activity, and sleep usually go along with mood episodes. Mood episodes can be manic or hypomanic, depressive, or mixed (where someone has characteristics of both mania and depression).

Manic or Hypomanic Symptoms:

• Feel very “up,” “high,” or elated
• Have a lot of energy
• Have increased activity levels
• Feel “jumpy” or “wired”
• Have trouble sleeping
• Become more active than usual
• Talk really fast about a lot of different things
• Be agitated, irritable, or “touchy”
• Feel like their thoughts are going very fast
• Think they can do a lot of things at once
• Do risky things, like spend a lot of money or have reckless sex

Depressive Symptoms:

• Feel very sad, down, empty, or hopeless
• Have very little energy
• Have decreased activity levels
• Have trouble sleeping, they may sleep too little or too much
• Feel like they can’t enjoy anything
• Feel worried and empty
• Have trouble concentrating
• Forget things a lot
• Eat too much or too little
• Feel tired or “slowed down”
• Thinking about death or suicide

​What can you do?

• Learn more about it to decide if this diagnosis truly fits your symptoms.
• Schedule with one of our therapists to help explore your concerns.

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What can you do if you are in crisis?

• Tell someone who can help right away
• Call your licensed mental health professional if you are already working with one
• Call your doctor
• Go to the nearest hospital emergency department

Call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is available to anyone. All calls are confidential.
If a loved one is considering suicide: 

• Do not leave him or her alone
• Try to get your loved one to seek immediate help from a doctor or the nearest hospital emergency room, or call 911
• Remove access to firearms or other potential tools for suicide, including medications​