10 Signs of Bipolar Disorder

For many people, the ability to stay up all night with boundless energy sounds dreamy. But for people with bipolar disorder, sleepless nights are the norm, and can cause multiple downstream effects including daytime sleepiness and irritability during manic phases of the disorder. A study of more than 2,000 people with sleep issues, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, found that disturbed sleep and sleep impairments were predictors of the manic phase in bipolar disorder. If you've been challenged to sleep more than four to five hours a night for a week or more, this could point to mania.

What are racing thoughts? For people with bipolar disorder, it's as if thoughts are rolling off the teleprompter screen in your brain too quickly to read, resulting in jumbled thinking and garbled words that don’t make sense to the person you're talking with. At the same time, your speech speeds up to a rate that is so accelerated that it's hard to follow anything you say. What exactly causes racing thoughts in bipolar people is still not understood: Some research suggests that the frontopolar cortex of the brain, which helps with multitasking, might be dysfunctional in bipolar patients. For that reason, seeking out structure to your day is key with this disease.

Imagine someone who sits down at a restaurant for only two minutes before he is agitated by something and needs to move. The next table is too loud. The waitress is too slow. His chair is too wobbly. Or he decides he isn’t in the mood for Mexican. One red flag of bipolar mania is feeling stressed out by sitting still, combined with a sense of anxiety over what will happen if you don't take action immediately (even when there is nothing to take action over). The overlap between bipolar disorder and anxiety is significant, according to research in BMC Psychiatry. If you are worried that you or a loved one may have bipolar disorder, it's important to also talk with a mental health provider about anxiety as well.

Overconfidence is by no means unique to bipolar disorder: Research in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that people who consider themselves highly intelligent and who believe intelligence is fixed (you either have it or you don't), tend to be overconfident. That said, overconfidence is also a sign of bipolar disorder. During manic phases, there may be an absence of insecurity and feeling as though you are endowed with special superpowers that will allow you to do amazing things. Share these feelings of invincibility with a psychiatrist or other mental health professional; even if you're feeling nothing but good right now, it may indicate a manic episode of bipolar disorder.

Most people are aware of this symptom of mania: the shopping spree, the extramarital affair, the motorcycle trip across the country. A study in Neuropsychopharmacology confirms that bipolar patients self-report a high degree of impulsive behavior than the average person. The good news? The study also found that medications for bipolar disorder were effective in lowering people's risk-taking behavior. It's worth noting that what one person considers impulsive or risky may be completely different for another. If you find yourself suddenly going way outside your normal wheelhouse of comfort (ditching your job, hitch-hiking across country, spending way more than your paycheck), it's worth talking with a mental health professional about signs of mania.

In life, there is sadness and grief and sorrow. They aren’t fun, but they don’t disable a person. Hopelessness, on the other hand, has no room for optimism—cracks of light that sneak through the darkness. There is a moroseness about hopelessness that family members and friends can easily detect: expressionless eyes and an absence of personality. Experts caution that people can experience an increase in this aspect of bipolar disorder in winter months. One way to combat the depression? Find ways to integrate exercise in to your daily routine: Studies show it's an effective mood booster.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), apathy toward activities once enjoyed and withdrawal from familiar people, places, and things can indicate the down cycle of bipolar disorder. Depressed folks are no longer energized by music, art, sports, or any pursuit that once generated a sense of purpose and meaning. They isolate and want to be alone. In some cases, people with bipolar disorder dissociate, meaning they disconnect from their feelings about the world around them. If that sounds familiar, talk with your doctor about seeking help.

Hungry much? Not at all? Some people pig out on junk food when they are depressed. Others pick at their food with no interest in eating. Some can’t get out of bed, while others lie awake all night. Ironically, these behaviors, which can all be signs of bipolar, are also triggers for the disorder. If you are experiencing significant changes in both appetite and your sleep patterns, it can indicate a depressive cycle of bipolar disorder. Keep track of both, and if they don’t regulate within two weeks, consider getting help.

During a manic phase, bipolar folks may feel more efficient with their extra energy and decreased need for sleep. However, the crash is inevitable, resulting in low mood that can lead to lethargy and issues with focus and clear thinking. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a depressed cycle brings problems with memory, concentration, and decision-making, which can impair job performance and cause mistakes. And research in the International Journal of Bipolar Disorders found that in either phase of the condition, people with bipolar disorder can struggle with cognitive issues.

Here's a sobering statistic: While 1% to 5% of the general population is affected by bipolar disorder, the rates of suicide among people with the condition are 20 to 30 times higher than those without it, according to a recent report. Moreover, as many as one in five people with bipolar disorder (mainly those who are untreated), end their life by suicide. In one study, 41% people with bipolar 1 reported some form of self-harm. Never ignore obsessions about hurting yourself or death. Even hypothetical thoughts of how you would end your life could be signs of bipolar disorder and can be treated with the help of a mental health professional. Seek help immediately—there is no reason to face bipolar disorder alone.