Are You Acting A Bit Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is not a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood where you're feeling like the you're in Superman (clinically referred to as mania) and depression where you're feeling like you're the most worthless person in the world. These episodes are normally separated by periods of normal mood, but in some patients, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, known as rapid cycling. Bipolar behavior is usually characterized with emotional inconsistency not seen since PMS. In any case, two particular stages of bipolar disorder happen the longest, and they're called mania and depression. Hypomania (either a burst of pure excitement and elation or, more rarer, a blunted feeling of apathy), also occurs, but is usually short-lived. During this time, the bipolar person is in his best behavior.

Now, onto the main stages of this disorder. The behavior of a bipolar person during the stage of mania is just as the name suggests. The person is manic. The person is jittery and seems to feel no fatigue. A bipolar person in this state keeps constantly active, burning up the hours with countless activities, and taking no time to rest. After this string of manic activity, the person burns out.

Afterwards, the state of depression rears its ugly head. Signs and symptoms of the depressive phase of bipolar disorder include loneliness, self-loathing, apathy or indifference and depersonalization. In the depressed phase, a person becomes a wallowing recluse. He or she experiences feeling of self-hatred, regret, anger, sadness and any other negative emotion that may arise. These feeling last for longer than the mania. After this down state, the person reverts back to the manic state.

This cycle of behavior repeats itself till the person self-destructs. It often leads to suicide. Behavior like this should be identified as early as possible so that it can be treated and suicide can be prevented.

Why do we sometimes feel a bit Bipolar? Are we just acting a bit Bipolar?