13 symptoms of bipolar

13 Effects of Bipolar Disorder on the Body

Bipolar disorder, previously known as “manic depression,” is a brain-based disorder. This condition is characterized by one or more occurrences of manic or “mixed” episodes, and in some cases, may include a major depressive episode.

While depression has commonly been associated with the disorder, we now know a bipolar diagnosis does not need to include depressive episodes, though it can.

Moreover, the disorder has the potential to affect virtually all other areas of your body, from your energy levels and appetite to your muscles and even libido.

Read on to find out how bipolar can affect different areas of your body.

Bipolar disorder is identified by periods of manic episodes.

During a manic phase, you have above-average energy levels, and may not sleep much. You can also experience irritability, restlessness, and an increased sex drive.

If you develop depression, this phase can have the opposite effects on the body. You may feel a sudden lack of energy and require more sleep, along with feeling depressed and hopeless.

Appetite changes can also occur if the person develops depression. As with mania, depression can also cause irritability and restlessness.

It’s also possible to experience a mixed-state of mania and depression. You might notice symptoms from both phases.

Bipolar disorder primarily affects the brain, which is part of your central nervous system.

Composed of both the brain and the spine, your central nervous system is made up of a series of nerves that are in control of different body activities.

Some of the effects include:

irritability
aggressiveness
hopelessness
feelings of guilt
severe sadness
loss of interest in activities you normally
enjoy
being in an excessively good mood
overactivity
feelings of hyperactivity
being easily distracted
forgetfulness
being overly defensive
having a provocative attitude

Bipolar disorder can also make it difficult to concentrate.

When you’re in the midst of a manic phase, you might find your mind racing and have a hard time controlling your thoughts. You may even talk faster than usual.

A depressive episode can also cause concentration difficulties, but your mind may feel a lot slower than normal. You might feel restless and have a hard time making decisions. Your memory may also be low.

Bipolar disorder can affect your ability to fall and stay asleep.

Manic phases often mean that you need very little sleep, and depressive episodes can result in sleeping more or less than normal. It’s not uncommon to have insomnia in both instances.

Insomnia can become especially dangerous in bipolar disorder, as you may be more tempted to take sleeping pills. Such risks are more associated with mania than depression.

When you have anxiety in addition to bipolar disorder, this can affect your cardiovascular system, too.

This includes:

heart palpitations
rapid heart rate
an increased pulse

Higher-than-normal blood pressure may also occur.

People with bipolar disorder are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with anxiety or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NAMI).

Your endocrine system consists of hormones that rely heavily on messaging signals from the brain. When these signals are disrupted, you can experience hormone fluctuations.

Bipolar disorder can cause changes to your libido. Mania may put your sex drive on overload, while depression can significantly decrease it.

Some people experience poor judgment with this disorder, which can also increase the risk for poor decision-making in terms of sexual health.

Bipolar disorder may also affect your weight, especially during depressive phases. With depression, you might experience a decrease in your appetite, resulting in weight loss.

It’s also possible to have the opposite experience — your appetite might increase, thereby making you gain weight.

Bipolar disorder doesn’t directly affect the bones and muscles, but if you experience depressive episodes, these can affect your skeletal and muscular systems.

Depression can lead to unexplained aches and pains, which can make everyday activities difficult to manage. You might also find it difficult to exercise due to your discomfort.

Moreover, if you do experience depression, weakness and fatigue are common and can be accompanied with sleeping too much or an inability to sleep.

Anxiety associated with bipolar disorder can make your feel tired and irritable. It can also affect your gastrointestinal system.

Some of these effects include:

abdominal pain
diarrhea
nausea
vomiting

Such symptoms are often accompanied with feelings of panic, or a sense of impending doom. You might also sweat and breathe rapidly.

Bipolar disorder can affect your performance at work or school. It can also make it challenging to build and maintain relationships.

Other effects may include:

heavy alcohol use
drug misuse
spending sprees
unrealistic beliefs in your own abilities

Many people with bipolar disorder are still highly functioning individuals and can maintain a healthy professional and personal life. Untreated bipolar disorder is more likely to worsen and interfere with your daily life.

Suicidal thoughts and actions can occur in both manic and depressive episodes.

How to Spot the Signs and Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Teens

Bipolar disorder in teens is often misdiagnosed.

Since teens' first symptoms are often the same as someone suffering from unipolar depression, they are often mislabeled as depressed or suffering from anxiety.

Many children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are also misdiagnosed as bipolar, and vice versa — adding to the difficulty of getting early treatment.

In addition, the hormonal fluctuations that often accompany adolescence can cause a pattern of behavior that's similar in nature to bipolar disorder.

A hormonal teen can experience mood highs and lows, sometimes within a very short period of time, which can confuse the diagnosis further.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Teens

To understand the difference between bipolar disorder, mood swings, and other mental health issues, you need to understand how bipolar disorder typically presents.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by both manic and depressive episodes. A teen that's experiencing mania may:

Be euphoric or act immature for their age
Have a short temper
Speak quickly and subject-hop
Have insomnia, but still feel energized
Have trouble focusing on tasks
Be more than usually interested in sex or sexual talk
Participate in high-risk activities

A teen that's experiencing a depressive episode may:

Have feelings of extreme sadness
Have frequent head and stomach aches and/or chronic pain
Sleep a lot, or not at all
Struggle with feelings of worthlessness
Overeat or under-eat
Exhibit listlessness and inability to have fun
Have suicidal thoughts

Is It Teenage Mood Swings or Bipolar?

As your read through the symptoms, you might be thinking: "Don't all teens exhibit those symptoms sometimes?"

The short answer is "yes. "

But there are significant differences that a mental health professional will look for to determine whether you're dealing with teenage bipolar symptoms or one of the other issues misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder.

Typically, a person displaying symptoms of bipolar disorder will:

Have a history of episodic mood swings
Be more likely to be withdrawn and sleep more, rather than less
Be less likely to exhibit agitation and weight loss
Be relatively young at onset
More commonly exhibit atypical symptoms of depression
Have a family history of bipolar disorder
Have brief, but numerous episodes
Not respond well to antidepressant therapy
Have a tendency toward psychotic behavior
Have a seasonal pattern to their moods
Be more likely to abuse substances or attempt suicide

As you can see, the differences are subtle — but real.

That's why it's critical to keep an eye on your teen's symptoms, even keeping a diary of moods and episodes if possible. That way your doctor will have the most information possible to make a clear and correct diagnosis.

Treatments for Bipolar Disorder in Teens

If you think you might have a teen with bipolar disorder, don't panic. Once you have a diagnosis by a mental health professional, you'll have access to many treatment options.

Therapy

Therapy can be an important part of your teen's treatment plan. A therapist will help your child deal with their feelings about their diagnosis.

They'll also work on getting your teen to express their feelings, improve their relationships with family and friends, and manage their symptoms when they're in the middle of an episode.

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is helpful in managing the stress that comes along with having bipolar disorder. Therapy sessions can be one-on-one with a therapist, or in a group setting with other teens that are dealing with similar issues.
Cognitive behavior therapy is a great way to help your bipolar teen develop problem-solving skills that can help derail negative behaviors and substitute positive ones.
Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy can improve family dynamics and develop ways to avoid disruptions in your teen's daily routine that can trigger an episode.
Family-focused therapy will engage family and loved ones to process the intense emotion that having a relative with bipolar disorder often provokes. This therapy encourages families to work together to solve problems and stay cohesive. It's particularly effective for children.

Medication

Your child's doctor will help determine which medications for bipolar disorder would be most appropriate for your child. The most commonly prescribed drugs for bipolar disorder are mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics.

Although your child may be prescribed more than one type of medication, The National Institute of Mental Health recommends that the "start low, go slow" philosophy of treatment be followed, where possible.

If using this philosophy, the doctor will start your teen on the fewest medications at the lowest dosage possible to manage symptoms, increasing meds and dosages incrementally when needed.

If your teen will be on a medication plan, it's important to talk to the doctor to understand:

How your teen should take the medication
What contraindications, if any, there are
What side-effects are possible
What drug interactions are possible

Getting Help for Your Bipolar Teen

If you suspect your teen has bipolar disorder, you'll want to get a professional diagnosis and start treatment right away.

Patients who start treatment at onset of the disorder have better outcomes than those who wait.

At Houston Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, we have an entire team of adolescent mental health professionals standing by to help your teen manage their bipolar disorder.

If your child is experiencing an acute episode of bipolar disorder, he or she may be a candidate for our Adolescent Inpatient Treatment Program.

We provide round-the-clock care in a safe and secure environment that focuses on patient stabilization and improvement of overall functioning.

Our state-of-the-art program combines group therapy and medication management along with an assessment that will help us meet the needs of your child and your family in a focused and therapeutic environment.

Don't delay your child's recovery.

Bipolar Disorder | Symptoms, complications, diagnosis and treatment

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). Episodes of mood swings may occur infrequently or several times a year.

When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When the mood shifts to mania or hypomania (less extreme than mania), you may feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, alertness, judgment, behavior, and the ability to think clearly. nine0003

Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, you can manage your mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medication and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).

Symptoms

There are several types of bipolar and related disorders. They may include mania, hypomania, and depression. The symptoms can lead to unpredictable changes in mood and behavior, leading to significant stress and difficulty in life. nine0003

Bipolar disorder I. You have had at least one manic episode, which may be preceded or accompanied by hypomanic or major depressive episodes. In some cases, mania can cause a break with reality (psychosis).
Bipolar disorder II. You have had at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode, but never had a manic episode.

Cyclothymic disorder.

Other types. These include, for example, bipolar and related disorders caused by certain drugs or alcohol, or due to health conditions such as Cushing's disease, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. nine0018

Bipolar II is not a milder form of Bipolar I but is a separate diagnosis. Although bipolar I manic episodes can be severe and dangerous, people with bipolar II can be depressed for longer periods of time, which can cause significant impairment.

Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, it is usually diagnosed in adolescence or early twenties. Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms can change over time. nine0003

Mania and hypomania

Mania and hypomania are two different types of episodes, but they share the same symptoms. Mania is more pronounced than hypomania and causes more noticeable problems at work, school, and social activities, as well as relationship difficulties. Mania can also cause a break with reality (psychosis) and require hospitalization.

Both a manic episode and a hypomanic episode include three or more of these symptoms:

Abnormally optimistic or nervous
Increased activity, energy or excitement
Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)
Reduced need for sleep
Unusual talkativeness
Distractibility
Poor decision-making - for example, in speculation, in sexual encounters or in irrational investments

Major depressive episode

Major depressive episode includes symptoms that are severe enough to cause noticeable difficulty in daily activities such as work, school, social activities, or relationships. Episode includes five or more of these symptoms:

Depressed mood, such as feeling sad, empty, hopeless, or tearful (in children and adolescents, depressed mood may manifest as irritability)
Marked loss of interest or feeling of displeasure in all (or nearly all) activities
Significant weight loss with no diet, weight gain, or decreased or increased appetite (in children, failure to gain weight as expected may be a sign of depression)
Either insomnia or sleeping too much
Either anxiety or slow behavior
Fatigue or loss of energy
Decreased ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
Thinking, planning or attempting suicide

Other features of bipolar disorder

Signs and symptoms of bipolar I and bipolar II disorder may include other signs such as anxiety disorder, melancholia, psychosis, or others. The timing of symptoms may include diagnostic markers such as mixed or fast cycling. In addition, bipolar symptoms may occur during pregnancy or with the change of seasons. nine0003

When to see a doctor

Despite extreme moods, people with bipolar disorder often do not realize how much their emotional instability disrupts their lives and the lives of their loved ones and do not receive the necessary treatment.

And if you are like people with bipolar disorder, you can enjoy feelings of euphoria and be more productive. However, this euphoria is always accompanied by an emotional disaster that can leave you depressed and possibly in financial, legal, or other bad relationships. nine0003

If you have symptoms of depression or mania, see your doctor or mental health professional. Bipolar disorder does not improve on its own. Getting mental health treatment with a history of bipolar disorder can help control your symptoms.

Causes and symptoms of bipolar disorder

KORSAKOV Medical Center
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Causes and symptoms of bipolar disorder

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Any person is inherent in the state of mood changes. But in what case can such a condition be called bipolar disorder? Experts define the term as a mental disorder associated with alternating depressive and manic states. Affective changes are associated with emotions, mood swings. The phases of depression and mania are characterized by cyclicity and a period of remission. So, the phase lasts from seven days to 3 years, and the period can last 4-5 years. nine0003

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Outpatient treatment regimen

Short hospital stays

Scientific treatments

Rapid drug selection

Symptoms of the disease

Women experience bipolar disorder more often than men. This fact can be explained by the fact that this group of patients seeks more help from specialists. To determine mood swings, the presence of emotional phases should be determined. nine0003

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To determine the symptoms of the disease, you need to understand that they will differ for the phase of mania and depression. The main signs of mania are:

Feeling of high spirits, which can last more than 3 hours without any reason;
No desire to sleep;
Fast, rapid speech, which is not always clear. A person can lose the meaning, the thread of communication, so he most often uses the electronic version of communication; nine0018
It is said about a person that he does first and then thinks about his actions;
Inadequate perception of oneself as a person - elevation of oneself above others;
Switching from one to another, especially in work activities, resulting in decreased productivity;
Risky behavior.

Signs of depression include:

Spontaneous, unreasonable sadness, for no apparent reason, factors of influence;
Closure in oneself - a person has no desire to communicate with relatives, relatives, a state of inner experience is characteristic; nine0018
Lack of interest in life, joy from what is happening around;
Loss of appetite;
Lack of energy, fatigue, depression;
Loss of ability to independently solve problems, make decisions, absent-mindedness, inability to concentrate;
Appearance of suicidal thoughts.

9019 and treatment in a 2-bed superior ward

SERVICE	PRICE
Consultation of a psychotherapist of the highest category	5 700 rub
Consultation of a children's psychiatrist (doctor of medical sciences)	6 600 rub
Consultation of a psychologist Individual repeated (work experience for more than 3 years)	3 500 rub
RUB 6,600
HOSPITAL TREATMENT (PSYCHIATRY)
Accommodation and treatment in a 4-bed or 5-bed ward	8 000 rub
Placement and treatment in the 2nd Local Chamber	9 500 rub
Placement in the 2nd Local Chamber (without settlement)	14 000 rub
11,000 rubles
Accommodation and treatment in a 2-bed superior ward (without sharing)	15,000 rubles
Accommodation and treatment in the 2nd Local Chamber category "VIP 2"	18 000 rub
Placement and treatment in the 1st Local Chamber category "VIP 1"	24 000 rub
* The administration of the medical center "KORSAKOV" takes all measures to timely update the price list posted on the website, however, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings, we advise you to clarify the cost of services in the contact center by phone +7 (499) 288-19-74

Bipolar disorder has specific causes that cause it. It could be genetic. The risk group includes people who in the family were sick with an illness. The impetus for the manifestation of the disease can be a serious stress, which becomes a catalyst.

Also, the reasons include emotional overstrain, fatigue. Stressful situations can change a person's attitude to the environment, lifestyle. For example, it may be the loss of a relative, dismissal from work. nine0003

Bipolar disorder can occur against the background of hormonal failure, which is most often typical for women during pregnancy, menopause.

Hyperreactivity, the nature of the melancholic lead to the fact that a person is easily exposed to stress. Bipolar disorder develops due to brain injury, viral infections, alcohol, drug addiction, drug use, excessive consumption of coffee, cigarettes, energy drinks.

In women, bipolar disorder manifests itself after childbirth, if during pregnancy there was no proper diet, nutrition, there were frequent stresses. The active stage begins during the menstrual cycle, menopause. Also, the disease is characterized by a predisposition or the disease proceeds at the stage of remission. For prevention and prevention, it is recommended to undergo diagnostics, therapy, which will avoid a period of exacerbation. nine0003

FOR PATIENTS OUTSIDE

FOR RELATIVES OF PATIENTS

What should I do if I have bipolar disorder?

Initially, you need to determine if a person has a disease. Everyone is characterized by emotional swings, but if they are exaggerated, social activity is lost, there is no interest in life, work, habits change - then these are clear signs of bipolar disorder. It is necessary to determine whether there are symptoms of the phases of the disease, how they manifest themselves. In this case, you need to contact the specialized narcological clinic "Enlightenment". A preliminary consultation with a specialist will help confirm or rule out the presence of bipolar disorder. nine0003

Not always signs can be recognized at the first stage of development. Especially if the disease is in the phase of mania, because the person in every possible way denies that he is sick. For relatives, you need to be patient and start talking during a period of depression. In this state, the patient is able to hear and agree to help. The best advice would be to go to the clinic to diagnose the disease. A person should understand that there is nothing shameful in this, but only for his good.

Emergency and planned hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital in Moscow is carried out around the clock, including holidays and weekends. The waiting time for a visiting psychiatrist usually ranges from 30 minutes to 1 hour. nine0003

Treatment of bipolar disorder in the clinic "KORSAKOV"

The main methods of treatment are electroconvulsive, psychosocial therapy. Psychotherapy can be carried out individually, in groups, in the family circle, by the cognitive-behavioral method. In our psychiatric clinic "KORSAKOV" patients have the opportunity to undergo an effective course of treatment, which is prescribed and conducted by experienced specialists in the industry. The help of a doctor will allow you to return to a normal state, to achieve a period of remission of the disease. Psychotherapy reveals problems that cause disorders, teaches to understand, solve them, control the emotional background. nine0003

To undergo treatment for bipolar disorder in Moscow, leave an application on the free multi-channel phone 8-800-555-4023. Or book a remote appointment.

Treatment in the hospital is carried out in the hospital

Asyat Mustafaevna
Niyazova
Head of the Psychotherapeutic Department, Analytical Psychotherapist, Clinical Psychologist
Makarova 9030
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SHIKOVA

Galina

psychologist Senior Researcher. Psychiatrist
Irina Sergeevna
ZASYADVOVK
Psychiatrist, psychiatrist-narcologist.
Head of the clinic branch in Moscow
Sergey Vladimirovich
KURENKOV
Clinical psychologist. Psychotherapist. Hypnotherapist
Yuri Borisovich
MOZHGINSKY
Doctor of Medical Sciences. Psychiatrist-psychotherapist
Marat
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with a full price list can be found in the medical center or ask a question by the hotline: +7 (499) 288-19 28-19 28-19 -74

* The administration of the KORSAKOV medical center takes all measures to timely update the price list posted on the website, however, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings, we advise you to clarify the cost of services in the contact center by phone +7 (499) 288-19-74

The posted price list is not an offer. Medical services are provided on the basis of a contract.
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