If you have bipolar disorder, you may recognize many below. Not everyone has exactly the same symptoms. Talk with your healthcare provider about your symptoms at each visit.
- Feeling sad or blue, or “down in the dumps”
- Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, including sex
- Feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Changes in weight or appetite
- Feeling tired or having little or no energy
- Feeling restless
- Problems concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Symptoms of mania may include:
- Increased energy level
- Less need for sleep
- Racing thoughts or mind jumps around
- Easily distracted
- More talkative than usual or feeling pressure to keep talking
- More self-confident than usual
- Focused on getting things done, but often completing little
- Risky or unusual activities to the extreme, even if it’s likely bad things will happen
Here are some behaviors that may be seen in people with bipolar disorder. Please note some of these behaviors may also indicate a different problem, so proper diagnosis is important.
- Agitation
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Irritability
- Excessive gambling
- Violence
- Poor judgment with decisions
- Careless spending, buying sprees
- Talking about hurting oneself
- Risky sex or change in sexual activity
- Impulsive financial investments
- More arguments
- Change in energy level, appetite, or sleep pattern
- Relationship problems at home or work
- Mounting debt
- Drinking or drugging for ‘escape’ or maintenance purposes
- Legal/criminal issues
Visit http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/bipolar-disorder-manic-depression for more detailed information about bipolar disorder and its symptoms.
Related articles
- The Right Diagnosis (erinbrookes.wordpress.com)
- Applying For Disability Benefits With Bipolar Disorder (therealsupermumblog.com)
- The Bipolar Marriage: An Interview with Heather Tobin (thereseborchardblog.com)
Broken Believers 
I was remembering Pastor Bryan about a very dear friend of mine who I just saw recently after many years. Mary was diagnosed with Post Natal Depression after having her third Child, this is a physical condition that manifests or causes Mental adverse symptoms. Mary was very bad even imagining that the gift of a bunch of Aussie dried flowers her husband had given her were her children and fearful that one may be broken of the bunch.
I went to see her in Hospital and comforted her and also tried to reassure her that God was with her and would also care for her children while she was not able to. Often delusions come from fear and are then focused onto something tangible. Mary went home a week later completely well and has not suffered since and it is now 25 years later. I asked her at the time how did she suddenly recover as most woman with this condition are hospitalised for many months, she told me she remembered a verse of Scripture, perhaps someone had shared it with her at the time (see below ) God’s Truth is very powerful when believed, this verse kept coming back to her, so Mary prayed and claimed that it was True.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of Power, and of Love, and of a Sound mind. ( K.J.V )
We are never alone in the Storms of Life God is always faithful.
Christian Love from both of us – Anne
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Dear Pastor Bryan, I hope you don’t mind me sharing my story but it helps to be able to understand the other side of what may cause what seems to be Mental disorders.
I have Hashimoto’s disease as well as the physical problems from a birth defect but for a long time there was not a lot known about this Thyroid condition even by the professional but at least it is recognised today as causing depression and of course that can manifest itself in many ways even extreme. Sometimes depression is caused by a Mental physical disorder but also can be because of trauma, grief, stress, guilt, fear, repressed anger, Marriage and Life problems and feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, which can be experienced by anyone not just the Mentally ill and sadly can also lead to suicide too.
Before they even knew about Hashimoto’s disease and that some Bipolar medication can prevent what is used to control it, by chance or was it God, yes the Scriptures talk about Chance but not Luck as God intervenes when necessary and blesses us more then we realise.
About 10 years ago they took a lot of Medication off the market and I was unable to get what I was on for my Bipolar which is what they had diagnosed me with. I had to wait till my body was free of this drug before they could put me on another but as I had experienced very bad withdrawals before they were worried that I would this time too. Many in the Church prayed for me and amazingly I had no withdrawal at all and I never went back on any Bipolar medication although I did stay on a minimal dose of a relaxant just in case symptoms reappeared but they never have even though my life since has been very hard at times and most would have been in great despair and it would have triggered Bipolar Symptoms if this condition had been present.
But I have had sleep problems since which were at first were thought to be part of Bipolar but these too have disappeared, although if I read or Blog without watching the time etc my bed can be neglected. I did at what a Doctor advised me the time which was years ago to do, which was if for any reason I have problems sleeping, not to toss and turn but to get up and make some hot milk and do something till I feel tired again, it worked and now I have no sleeping problems except for a few times when I was worrying recently but reading positive Blogs about Trusting God fully helped… How good is that!
They have now thankfully discovered more about Hashimoto’s disease but of course they fear wrong diagnoses issues, so we don’t hear much about it and they minimise the depression and other Mental conditions that it causes but I was told that they routinely check for this disorder now when Mental symptoms are present.
Can you see God’s hand in my life, I truly have been blessed in many ways.
Thank you Pastor Bryan for listening, Christian Love from both of us – Anne
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Hi Pastor Bryan, as I shared on my Blog, I was wrongly diagnosed as having Bipolar when I was younger and suffered for years because of conflicting medication causing my Thyroid condition to worsen and so I have known what it was like to be called Mentally ill and it’s stigmatism.
I found in those years which ended many years ago after they researched more about the condition I did have and stoped the Bipolar medication which meant I returned to normal what ever that is suppose to be because there is no such thing we are all unique. Most of the Symptoms that are claimed to be caused by Bipolar and they keep changing and adding to them, are also experienced by many people that have not been diagnosed with it or any other Mental illness. This is not saying that some aren’t because of Bipolar etc but many are experienced by everyone else too.
I talk a lot when Happy or excited about something and I did even as a child but then so do a lot of others I have met, who have never been mentally ill but like them I listen too, just depends on the topic. Sometimes not often I find it hard to sleep at night especially if I have slept during the day, I think they call them Grannie naps, at others times I have no problem, many experience sleep disorders or the drug companies would go broke, sleeping tablets are one of the most used products on the market today…..and so on and on, I think it is better not to focus on the symptoms of any illness but to Trust in the Person who helps us endure what ever life brings us. I find it interesting that Jesus was accused of being mad even by His family, it’s so easy for people to pigeon hole others when they feel insecure themselves.
Thank you for your Love and concern Pastor Bryan for Broken Believers, may you continue to be greatly blessed as you bless others.
Christian Love from both of us – Anne.
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