Dealing with Bipolar Disorder

"Before I came to see Dr. Brown I had almost given up hope of ever living a normal life. I went from doctor to doctor but none of them knew anything about the up-to-date treatments for Bipolar disorder. They wouldn’t discuss my disorder with me. They just wanted to hand me medication and push me out the door. Now that I am with Dr. Brown my hopes of living a normal happy life are still alive. I am more stable now than I have been since being diagnosed six years ago."  - B.B.
          While we all deal with shifts and changes in our moods, those who battle bipolar disorder experience mood swings which severely impact both their quality of life, and ability to function on a daily basis.  Battling bipolar disorder can feel like riding a terrifying roller-coaster; you may feel, during a manic episode, as though you're on top of the world - only to find, when it wears off, that you're barely scraping by at rock bottom.
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          According to The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, nearly 5.7 million adults in the United States battle bipolar disorder each year.  As there are several types of bipolar disorders and each can present different symptoms and features, it is critical that you seek professional counsel to receive the proper diagnosis and treatment.

Recognizing Signs & Symptoms

Bipolar disorders generally present as a combination of mania/hypo-mania, and depressive episodes, and vary in severity, frequency, and duration.
Manic Episodes
Someone experiencing a manic episode may:

  • Feel very “up,” “high,” or elated
  • Have a heightened self of self-importance or feelings of grandiosity
  • Have a lot of energy
  • Experience shifts in appetitie or weight loss
  • Have increased activity levels
  • Feel “jumpy” or “wired”
  • Have trouble sleeping, or feel a decreased need for sleep
  • Speak very rapidly, moving from subject to subject 
  • Be agitated, irritable, or “touchy”
  • Experience racing thoughts, or flights of ideas
  • Think they can do a lot of things at once
  • Engage in reckless behaviors (excessive spending, unsafe sexual encounters)

Source: NIMH
Source: Psych Central
Depressive Episodes
Someone experiencing a depressive episode may:

  • Feel very sad, down, empty, or hopeless
  • Experience negative thoughts about the future
  • Have very little energy
  • Have decreased activity levels
  • Have difficulty sleeping, or sleep excessively
  • Experience a loss of interest in pleasurable or usual activities
  • Feel extremely worried or anxious
  • Have difficulty concentrating
  • Experience changes in appetite
  • Have difficulty remembering things
  • Feel tired, “slowed down,” or lethargic
  • Experience a sense of guilt, shame, or low self-esteem
  • Think about death or suicide

Source: NIMH
​Source: Psych Central

Getting Help

Acknowledging you may need help and seeking treatment requires a great deal of courage, and we commend you for taking the first steps toward reclaiming your life and autonomy.  Reach out to us today at The San Diego Center for Mood Disorders; our team will help you schedule an appointment, and put together a treatment plan that will help you get your life back on track.