How do you tell if you're bipolar or just depressed?

Bipolar disorder causes emotional highs and lows, while depression causes a constantly low mood. The “bi” in the word “bipolar” means “two.” In bipolar disorder, you shift between two poles, or mood extremes. You have very high moods (called manic episodes) and very low moods (called depressive episodes).

How can I check myself for bipolar?

Can bipolar be mistaken for depression?

Bipolar disorder may be mistaken for depression partly because depression is often the first mood episode (rather than mania) for many people. It's also more common for people with bipolar disorder to first seek professional help for their depressive symptoms, since mania feels less problematic.

What does undiagnosed bipolar look like?

The main sign of bipolar disorder is extreme mood swings that go from emotional highs to emotional lows. Manic episodes cause people to seem very energetic, euphoric, or irritable. During depressive episodes, your loved one may seem sad, upset, or tired all the time.

What mimics bipolar disorder?

Cyclothymia symptoms alternate between emotional highs and lows. The highs of cyclothymia include symptoms of an elevated mood (hypomanic symptoms). The lows consist of mild or moderate depressive symptoms. Cyclothymia symptoms are similar to those of bipolar I or II disorder, but they're less severe.

Here's Why People Miss Signs of Bipolar (vs Depression)

What does untreated bipolar feel like?

Without proper treatment, people with hypomania may develop severe mania or depression. "Bipolar disorder may also be present in a mixed state, in which you might experience both mania and depression at the same time.

What are the top 5 signs of bipolar?

Bipolar disorder can cause your mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. Manic symptoms can include increased energy, excitement, impulsive behaviour, and agitation. Depressive symptoms can include lack of energy, feeling worthless, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.

What age does bipolar usually show?

Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it's diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s. Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms may vary over time.

What triggers bipolar disorder?

A stressful circumstance or situation often triggers the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Examples of stressful triggers include: the breakdown of a relationship. physical, sexual or emotional abuse. the death of a close family member or loved one.

Are you born bipolar?

Genes. Bipolar disorder often runs in families, and research suggests this is mostly explained by heredity—people with certain genes are more likely to develop bipolar disorder than others. Many genes are involved, and no one gene can cause the disorder. But genes are not the only factor.

What is the main cause of bipolar disorder?

No one knows exactly what causes bipolar disorder. Research suggests that a combination of factors could increase your chance of developing it. This includes physical, environmental and social conditions.

What does early bipolar look like?

Severe changes in mood — either extremely irritable or overly silly and elated. Overly-inflated self-esteem; grandiosity. Increased energy. Decreased need for sleep — able to go with very little or no sleep for days without tiring.

What are the 4 stages of bipolar?

What age does bipolar start in females?

Bipolar disorder usually starts in early adulthood, though the symptoms can develop at any time. Research indicates that the symptoms tend to emerge later in females than in males and that females are more likely to experience the first symptoms in their 50s .

What helps a bipolar person calm down?

Can you treat bipolar without meds?

Counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and a range of lifestyle changes can help people with bipolar disorder to manage their symptoms and improve their overall quality of life.

Can I live with bipolar without medication?

If You Have Bipolar Disorder and Don't Take Medication

You may experience more severe symptoms: If you don't take medication for bipolar disorder, you may experience more severe symptoms. This can lead to a greater risk of hospitalization or suicide.

What age does bipolar disorder get worse?

There is no one way bipolar symptoms evolve throughout a lifetime. Each person's experience with bipolar disorder is slightly different. However, research has found that the earlier the onset of bipolar disorder, the more severe symptoms tend to be throughout a person's life.

What are the top 10 signs of bipolar?

What is soft bipolar disorder?

Bipolar spectrum disorder—also known as “subthreshold bipolar disorder” or “soft bipolar disorder”—is diagnosed when there are many symptoms of bipolar disorder but not all criteria fit the illness' textbook definition.

How does a bipolar person act?

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition marked by intense mood changes. People with the illness switch back and forth from mania or hypomania (an emotional state of being energetic and gleeful or sometimes aggressive or delusional) to having episodes of depression.

What drugs can trigger bipolar disorder?

Drugs with a definite propensity to cause manic symptoms include levodopa, corticosteroids and anabolic-androgenic steroids. Antidepressants of the tricyclic and monoamine oxidase inhibitor classes can induce mania in patients with pre-existing bipolar affective disorder.

Is bipolar genetic from mother or father?

Defects in mitochondrial DNA sequences may contribute to a predisposition to such complex diseases as diabetes and bipolar disorder. Therefore, if all bipolar disorder patients have mitochondrial predisposition genes, then the transition of bipolar disorder from the mother's side would be higher.

Can you be mildly bipolar?

Many experts say cyclothymic disorder is a mild form of bipolar disorder.

Who is more prone to bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally, as well as all races, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic classes. Although men and women appear to be equally affected by bipolar disorder, rapid cycling is seen more often in women. Women also tend to experience more depressive and mixed state episodes than do men.