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7 Unexpected Signs of Bipolar Disorder That Are Often Ignored
There are about 46 million people with bipolar disorder in the whole world. Bipolarity affects people’s energy levels, their mood, social activities and even their capacity to perform daily tasks. We need to pay attention to the signs that sometimes are unexpected and seek help to prevent harsh consequences.
Here at Bright Side, we believe that people should be always aware of mental health issues. So we came up with 7 signs of bipolar disorder that may not be that obvious.
1. Not being able to sleep
Sleep patterns change a lot when you have bipolar disorder and you may experience insomnia that lasts for weeks and will interfere with your life. The need for sleep may also decrease and people may not feel tired for the whole day.
People can also experience sleep apnea. Their breathing will stop and start repeatedly, stopping them from having a good night of sleep.
2. Not being able to focus
When you are bipolar, you get distracted easily, regardless of where you are. This happens because people with bipolar disorder experience mood swings. When they try to focus in one task, they have a thought that comes out of nowhere and they start doing other things. This can prevent people from finishing tasks.
3. Overconfidence
When people have bipolar disorder, they can experience grandiose delusions. They feel superior and invulnerable. They have a boost of confidence and believe they have more importance, power, and knowledge that others.
4. Thinking too fast and too much
People who are bipolar think way too fast and too much. They can have a fast succession of thoughts in their minds that can’t be stopped. This will affect their consciousness and can prevent them from living their everyday lives and controlling their emotions.
5. Talking too much
Bipolar people also have racing thoughts when they’re speaking to other people. They can easily jump from one subject to another and eventually end up talking too much.
They have a huge desire to talk for long periods of time and to say a lot of things. They may also feel the need to talk loudly and talk over other people.
6. Being in a great mood — the greatest actually
People with bipolar disorder can also experience episodes of elevated mood. This is also known as mania. During manic episodes they will feel very happy and excited about everything and they will feel like they are having the best day of their lives. However, these episodes can often be followed by depressive ones.
7. Feeling extremely irritable
Bipolar people can feel extremely irritable out of nowhere. Even the littlest things can annoy them and make them explode. They can also feel very angry for no apparent reason when their irritability is pushed to the limit.
All these symptoms can appear separately or all at once. We need to pay attention to them so we can find proper treatment as soon as possible. If not treated responsibly, bipolarity can lead to other brain disorders like depression, hyperactivity, and borderline personality disorder.
Do you know anyone with bipolar disorder? Did you notice any signs in them before they were diagnosed?
Preview photo credit Mean Girls / Lorne Michaels Productions
Illustrated by Alena Tsarkova for BrightSide.me
