This is an important fact to know. Just like many other conditions, bipolar disorder has a spectrum. There are five highly studied types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar 1, Bipolar 2, Cyclothymia,
Rapid Cycling, and Mixed Episodes. Each of these types of bipolar have their own characteristics and just because you have one doesn't mean you can have some symptoms of others. Although
Bipolar 1 is commonly referred to as most "severe" because one goes into full mania and the cycle lasts much longer (up to many months), the other forms of bipolar can be
A common perception of bipolar disorder is that the person is constantly going from happy to sad to annoyed to excited. This is not so often the case. Bipolar moods are
many times set in one place for longer periods of time. Depending on the type of bipolar disorder one has, a "mood swing" will last for days, weeks, or even months.
And, it's more severe than a stereotypical "mood swing." A person with bipolar disorder can experience weeks of no sleep, high energy, and sometimes reckless behavior during their manic or hypomanic episodes,
but will then will fall from that high into a deep and dark depression. Of course there can be irritability that comes with the elevated mood as well as the depression,
3. You Can Have A "Normal Life" With Bipolar Disorder
There's a huge misconception that people with bipolar disorder cannot hold down a job and live a normal life. Chances are you know quite a few people that are diagnosed
3. You Can Have A "Normal Life" With Bipolar Disorder
with bipolar disorder! Living with bipolar disorder has its complications, but a large majority of those diagnosed with bipolar disorder are successful and living life with the tools they have to
3. You Can Have A "Normal Life" With Bipolar Disorder
fight the disorder, whether it be medicine, therapy, or a healthy and routine lifestyle. Many people with bipolar disorder are known to be highly creative and artistic. There are even many
3. You Can Have A "Normal Life" With Bipolar Disorder
famously known people such as Demi Lovato, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Robin Williams, and even Vincent van Gogh who are known to have or have had bipolar disorder.
While this may not be true in all cases, the large majority of those living with bipolar disorder are not violent. They are stuck in a cycle of ups and
downs and are more than often the victims of bullying and violence themselves. People living with bipolar disorder are more dangerous to themselves than to the people around them, as
You may ask, "what is so bad about mania?" While hypomania can have benefits such as relief from depression, productivity, elevated moods, and a sense of euphoria, hypomania and mania are not always
so great, like you may hear. Along with those positive aspects, mania and hypomania come with no sleep, increased sexual drive (which mixed with the impulsive behavior can harm you), reckless spending,
and racing thoughts and speech. Another thing to remember is that while someone may be out of their depressive state, mania is an indicator that it will be coming back
While some people give up and believe their disorder is hopeless, know that there are ways to fight. Living a healthy lifestyle with routine bedtimes, little to no drinking, and
daily exercise is a way to keep your chance of cycling down. Many people living with bipolar disorder are on mood stabilizer medications and see a therapist weekly. "Talk therapy" and
cognitive behavioral therapy are two types of therapy that have been proven effective for bipolar disorder! If you are living with bipolar disorder and feel like you are spiraling, know that
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depression, affects millions of people worldwide. The disorder is characterized by polarized moods, one being highly elevated and manic, and the other being deeply depressive. The misconceptions around bipolar disorder leave those living with it to be stigmatized and wrongly judged.
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