Table of contents
Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness
Bipolar disorder can progress in manic (extremity), depression (depression) or hypomanic episodes. The incidence, duration, severity and form of attacks may differ from person to person. While some patients do not describe any manic episodes, others may have manic episodes more frequently. While manic and depressive episodes are very common in some patients, some may describe episodes several times in their lifetime.
Most patients experience more intense episodes of depression. In bipolar disorders, patients can recover with appropriate treatment and regulate their family, work or social life.
Manic, hypomanic, depressive or mixed episodes may show distinctive signs and symptoms.
Manic episodes:
- High energy,
- Overjoyed,
- Extremely optimistic and happy
- Feeling extremely angry and hostile,
- Unrealistic, exaggerated beliefs about talent and power
- Extravagant behavior, spending money, buying expensive items, gambling, improper business investments,
- Exaggerated self-esteem or thoughts of grandeur
- Sleeping little but feeling extremely energetic
- Not eating, eating less,
- Experiencing an increase in sexual desire and actions, and behaving in the form of thoughtless sexual attempts,
- Often reacting with anger and blaming others in the face of events, starting a fight,
- Don’t talk too much, talk too fast to follow
- Quick jumps from one thought to another, flight of ideas,
- Inability to concentrate, excessive distraction,
- Weak reasoning, acting without thinking about the consequences
- Hallucinations (psychotic episode) in severe cases.
Hypomanic episodes:
The patient is energetic, happy, productive. He carries out his daily activities without breaking his ties with real events. The symptoms of the disease are relatively mild compared to the manic episode. The attack may not be very noticeable around work, family, friends. Although manic symptoms are mild, they can sometimes cause inappropriate and bad decisions in work, school and family life.
Depression attacks:
- Low energy,
- Sad, hopeless or angry,
- Memory problems,
- Difficulty concentrating on a subject
- Decreased interest,
- Don’t feel worthless,
- Feeling of guilt,
- Pessimism about almost everything,
- In severe cases, hallucinations (psychotic episodes), irrational thinking,
- Appetite problems, weight loss,
- Sleep problems, not being able to sleep, not getting enough energy from sleep,
- Suicidal thoughts,
- Not benefiting from antidepressants.
Mixed period:
It is the period in which manic, hypomanic and depressive symptoms are seen together. It may follow manic or depressive episodes. In this period when symptoms are complex, the risk of suicide also increases.