Recently, you're finding it hard to track your loved one’s moods, which seem to be more extreme than usual; and these moods swing from one end to the other without any external influences.
Mood regulation disorders, such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, are common — bipolar disorder affects about 4.4% of adults in the United States at some point in their lives and depression affects nearly 30% of American adults.
Unfortunately, there’s still a good deal of misinformation floating around about mood regulation disorders — especially bipolar disorder — so Dr. Diana Ghelber and the team at Institute for Advanced Psychiatry want to share some important information with you here.
So, if you’re concerned about a loved one, read on to learn more about bipolar disorder and what to do next.
Many people assume that bipolar disorder is a condition in which a person swings from happy to sad, but this is just a fraction of what’s happening.
First, the mood swings don’t happen during the course of a single day — they take place over weeks, months, and years. And the moods can be severe.
There are different types of bipolar disorder, including:
With this type of bipolar disorder, a person experiences a manic episode for at least a week and the episode often requires intervention as the person becomes a threat to themselves or others.
The manic episode is one half of the equation and the other is a major depressive episode that lasts for at least two weeks. These episodes often follow the manic episodes.
People with this type experience at least one episode of hypomania, which is less severe than a manic episode, and at least one episode of depression.
If your loved one has mild depressive and manic episodes that go on for at least two years, this is considered cyclothymic.
Bear in mind that 83% of people with bipolar disorder experience severe symptoms, which likely means they have Bipolar I. Another point to keep in mind is that the average age of onset is in a person’s early 20s.
We discussed manic and depressive episodes, and we want to expand on this a little so that you can better recognize the signs of bipolar disorder.
A manic episode is hard to miss as the person displays some combination of the following:
People can become a harm to themselves (or others) during a manic episode, and they often need to be hospitalized for safety.
With hypomania, the symptoms are much less severe and can actually make a person happier and more productive.
For signs of a depressive episode, look for:
During a depressive episode, people may isolate and sleep more than usual. You might also notice changes in appetite — your loved one eats more or less than they usually do.
When it comes to figuring out whether your loved one has bipolar disorder, you first need to look at a much broader picture and review their moods over the course of months — not days.
We also want to underscore the point that properly diagnosing someone requires a professional who understands the criteria and the ways in which these conditions can manifest in people.
So, if you still suspect that your loved one may have bipolar disorder after reading this, your next step is to get them to us for an evaluation. Untreated bipolar disorder can worsen, so getting the right treatment as early as possible is critical.
And our practice is equipped with all the expertise and resources you need to get your loved one into a better place.
To schedule your loved one’s consultation, please contact our office in Fort Worth, Texas, today.
