Bipolar disorder is formerly known as manic depression;
Bipolar symptoms in men
The main symptoms of bipolar include three symptoms: mania, hypomania, and depression.
During a manic episode, the patient may feel extremely happy, high energy, enthusiastic and euphoric, and he may also act recklessly and irrationally during this period. For example, he may:
- He spends money lavishly.
- Addicted to drugs.
- Having sex without protection.
بHowever, a hypomanic episode is different from this, and it affects patients with bipolar II.
Although the patient also feels happiness, energy, enthusiasm and euphoria, it is to a lesser extent than a manic episode, and it does not lead to any harm or problems for the patient in his social relationships and daily activity.
While the symptoms of depression that eventually affect a bipolar patient include:
- Feelings of guilt and lack of self-esteem.
- Constant feeling of sadness.
- Lack of pleasure while performing any activity.
- Constant feeling of exhaustion.
- Loss of activity and vitality.
- Sleep disturbances, either sleeping for very long or very short periods.
- Lack of energy and loss of hope.
- Suicidal thoughts
Sometimes, the patient suffers from a mixed episode of mania, hypomania, and depression together, and the symptoms appear as follows:
- restlessness.
- Feeling anxious and angry.
- Distraction.
- Irritability and agitation.
- Feeling a combination of high energy and low mood, which may increase your chances of thinking about suicide.
Bipolar symptoms in women
Symptoms of the disorder vary Bipolar in women About men;
Episodes of mania or hypomania in women, including feelings of heightened activity and energy, last for a week or more.
Symptoms of hypomania are less severe and last for a shorter period than mania, and women are more likely to develop hypomania than men.
Symptoms of mania or hypomania in women include:
- Feeling active and happy.
- Speaking quickly and racing thoughts.
- High self-esteem.
- Increase self-confidence.
- Impulsiveness and making rash decisions.
- Stress and anger.
- Anorexia.
- Lack of sleep.
In general, women are twice as likely as men to suffer from depressive episodes.
Therefore, the symptoms of bipolar disorder in women are characterized by severe depression, and women patients are often mistakenly diagnosed with bipolar disorder as severe depression.
The increased incidence of depressive episodes in female patients is a risk factor.
Symptoms of a depressive episode include the following:
- Feeling hopeless and frustrated.
- Loss of desire to do daily activities.
- restlessness.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Idleness.
- Speak slowly.
- Increased appetite and weight.
- Constantly thinking or talking about death or suicide.
In some severe cases, symptoms develop and psychotic symptoms appear, for example: hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions.
Bipolar test
represents Test for bipolar disorder A self-measurement tool that evaluates the severity of symptoms of manic and depressive episodes in a patient, and it also measures the extent to which perceptual and cognitive abilities and mood are affected.
The test consists of a list of 15 questions and the duration of the test is 3 minutes. The questions revolve around common life experiences among people with bipolar disorder.
How do I know if I suffer from bipolar disorder?
You can notice the symptoms of bipolar on yourself. There is also an evaluation to diagnose the condition. You can visit a doctor for diagnosis. The evaluation includes the following:
- Physical examination: This is to determine any medical problem that may be causing the symptoms.
- Psychological evaluation: The doctor talks with you about your feelings, thoughts, and behavior patterns, and he may need to talk to relatives and close friends to find out the symptoms you are suffering from.
- Mood chart: The doctor may ask you to record your moods, sleep patterns, or some other symptoms that help in diagnosis and treatment.
- Criteria for bipolar disorder: The physician uses the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association;
Bipolar treatment
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong disorder, and treatment focuses on managing symptoms to suit the sufferer's needs.
The treatment plan includes the following:
- Taking medications under the supervision of a doctorSuch as: mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.
- Continue treatment: Even when feeling better;
- PsychotherapyIt is a major part of bipolar treatment, and is available in the form of individual therapy, group therapy, or family therapy.
- Hospital admissionThis is in severe cases that suffer from the desire to commit suicide or disconnect from reality (psychotic).
Rate of recovery from bipolar disease
Research and studies indicate that there is a difference between the rate of recovery from bipolar disease and the rate of recovery from bipolar symptoms that accompany the disease.
It is possible to recover from bipolar disease, as the recovery rate may reach about 77% within 6 months of starting treatment.
بينما قد تصل النسبة إلى 84% في الأربع سنوات اللاحقة لأول نوبة من الهوس لدى الأشخاص المصابين.
However, the rate of recovery from symptoms is often less than that.
The recovery rate from bipolar symptoms may reach about 58% within 6 months of starting treatment, and symptoms may improve by 72% within two years of treatment.
Book your consultation now at Rafah Center for Mental Health At Al Mousa Specialist Hospital
Is bipolar disease dangerous?
The answer may seem alarming, but yes, bipolar disease is serious.
- Negative dealing with feelings.
- Introversion (isolation).
- Attempted self-harm.
- Thinking about death and suicide.
Is bipolar schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are both mental disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.
But schizophrenia is mainly a psychotic disorder, while bipolar disorder is a primarily mood disorder but may also include psychotic symptoms.
Differentiating between the two can sometimes be difficult;
In fact, there is an intermediate diagnosis between them called schizoaffective disorder.
But using MRI scans, doctors can see specific structural differences in the brains of schizophrenia patients.
These differences include gray matter volume, differences in brain volume and cortical thickness, which are associated with differences in mental function on medical examination.
Sometimes these differences appear throughout the life of the disease and often appear soon after the first episode.
Although the two diagnoses are different, there are similarities in some of their treatments, due to the presence of some common symptoms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between schizophrenia and bipolar?
The symptoms of both are similar, as there are many similarities between them, especially the symptoms, but in the case of bipolar, the patient suffers from a clear set of mood changes.
With bouts of hallucinations and depression, while schizophrenia leads to severe hallucinations and delusions.
What is the difference between depression and bipolar?
Both of them are considered types of psychological disorders that affect the individual, but the difference between them is that bipolar is a symptom that appears in the form of mood swings with periods of mania, while depression is a state of intense and continuous sadness for long periods, and the patient suffers from difficulty in thinking and disturbances in sleep and appetite.
What are the symptoms of depressive psychosis?
Sadness and despair, in addition to feelings of guilt and social withdrawal, with sleep disturbances, unexplained fatigue, and changes in appetite with a desire to commit suicide. The patient also suffers from some hallucinations, delusions, and slow movement.
In conclusion, the bipolar disorder test relies on a well-known and well-known test to evaluate the clinical concept of bipolar disorder.
However, free online tests are only a sketch and cannot provide accurate assessments of the disease and other associated disorders.
The symptoms of bipolar are similar to some other psychological illnesses, so you must consult a specialist doctor to make the correct diagnosis. You can book a consultation immediately at Al Mousa Specialist Hospital.
We provide excellent care with the latest advanced devices and methods. For more information about the treatment methods available to you التواصل معنا.
Sources and references
Bipolar disorder – mayoclinic
Bipolar disorder – nhs
