What You Need to Know About Bipolar Disorder

I have suffered from bipolar disorder for many years, and I find it to be one of the most debilitating mental health problems that there is. Bipolar Disorder involves conflicting personalities in which the person's moods change from extreme highs to depressive lows. When someone is experiencing rapid cycling between the depression and the mania they often become unaware of their actions and can literally lose time. There have been many occasions when someone has asked me if I felt any better after an episode, and I was unaware that I had even had an episode. It is as if the time just stopped until I had settled down some.

There are many of us who are either personally affected by this disorder or know someone who is. When we care about someone who suffers from bipolar disorder it is important to be aware of some ways to notice and help when something is wrong. The following guide will aid in the process of helping yourself as well as others to better understand bipolar disorder.

1. The first item that I feel is important to know is that there are three forms of bipolar disorder. Being able to recognize differences between the three is important to gain a better understanding what a person is experiencing.

1.1. Bipolar I - Bipolar disorder characterized by episodes of manias and major depression.

1.2. Bipolar II - Bipolar disorder characterized by episodes of hypomania (a mild degree of mania often a precursor to a full manic episode) and major depression

1.3. Cyclothymia (a less severe form of Bipolar Disorder, BP III) - Bipolar disorder characterized by minor episodes of hypomania and depression.

2. The next item to help guide you towards a better understanding of bipolar disorder is to understand what mania and manic episodes feel like.

2.1. Mania is the heightened and unexplainable excitement or frenzy.

2.2. Manic Episodes - One of the mood episodes that compose bipolar disorder. A state that is flamboyant, active, hyper, or tense. This can cause extreme fits of laughter, uncontrollable movement, fidgeting, and even severe rage that can result in harsh language and hurt feelings to those who do not realize what is going through the mind of the person suffering from bipolar disorder. There are many times that I have hurt people with my words when I was experiencing a manic episode. Please keep in mind that when bipolar sufferers are in this state they do not always mean, or even know, what they are saying.

3. Depression is the state of feeling sad. In bipolar people, however, this feeling can be so strong that it can cause inactivity, difficulty in thought or concentrating, and it can seriously disrupt everyday activities. When I hit my depressed state I do not want to get out of bed and I cry almost the whole time. When the depressive side of bipolar disorder sets in, just be supportive and caring.

4. People who suffer from bipolar disorder tend to be very creative people as well. I am currently enrolled in college and have found that when I am manic my work tends to be better than when I feel "normal." There are two other women that are in two of my classes that also suffer from bipolar disorder and they have some of the same experiences with creativity as I do. I know that for me, when my mind is racing and I put pen to paper I can come up with some amazing work. By doing assignments or just free-writing, we are able to let go of much that is going on inside. So always remember that any creative work can be very therapeutic.

5. People also need to understand that bipolar disorder is not something that we can just "snap out of." Like other illnesses, the depression and mania are episodes that just need to run their course. One cannot be expected to just get over a cold if they choose, and the same goes for depression and mania.

6. Another misconception that many people have is about medication for bipolar disorder. These medications are not cures, they are merely suppressants. People still have manic/depressive episodes even when they are on medication, these episodes just do not last as long and are not as severe. It needs to be kept in mind that the medications will help, but they do not bring about a miracle overnight.

7. Sleeping is something that can come very hard during times of mania. One of the main symptoms of mania is that of a racing mind. For me this seems to be more of a problem at night when things start to get quiet. During these nights with no sleep is when I often find myself getting the majority of my homework and creative writing done. The quiet is sometimes good for me, but I find myself needing to have noise of some kind just so my mind will stop wandering.

8. There are some people who will never understand bipolar disorder and we must be careful about who we tell. No matter how much education there is on this disorder, these are still very personal details about yourself and others. The lack of understanding from other people can turn out to be very hurtful for the person who is bipolar.

9. If you have a child who is showing signs of depression or mania as described above, please keep in mind that bipolar disorder has no age limits. My fourteen year old son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of eight. Many doctors want to avoid this diagnosis and instead treat children for ADHD. Please find a specialist if you feel your child may be bipolar.

10. The most important thing to remember about bipolar disorder is that whether you suffer from it or support someone who does, you are not alone. There are many support groups out there to help you make it through even the worst of days.

It is my hope that this will guide you and those you love to better understand bipolar disorder and how it affects everyone involved. With a better understanding of bipolar symptoms and how they can be helped, we can make a step toward making others understand and accept it as well.