There are essentially three types of bipolarity:
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Type I bipolar disorder - Alternating manic and depressive phases interspersed with free intervals. This is the typical form.
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Type II bipolar disorder - alternating depressive and hypomanic phases with free intervals
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Type III bipolar disorder - actually includes 2 subtypes: subjects presenting only manic or hypomanic episodes induced by antidepressant treatments on the one hand; and on the other hand those presenting only depressive episodes but associated with a family history of bipolar disorder.
10 tips for managing bipolarity
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Be well informed about your type of bipolar disorder and the related treatment
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Get the right therapy for you
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Pay close attention your mood and symptoms
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Do not isolate yourself
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Develop a routine
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Focus on your diet and exercise
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Reduce your stress
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Avoid drugs and alcohol
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Develop an emergency plan
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Above all, find coping strategies that really work for you. The goal is for you to feel good about your life.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder
Manic episodes
Manic episodes are often preceded by warning signs: increased energy, ease of social interaction and a feeling of euphoria.
During the manic episode, the bipolar patient shows at least three of the following signs:
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Increased social activities (professional or sexual), constant need to talk, hyperactivity
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Exaggerated sense of power (high self-esteem)
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Reckless shopping, spending a lot of money
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A tendency to jump from one thing to another
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Insomnia
These signs can sometimes be accompanied by other symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations.
Watch my video about my manic episode.
Depressive episodes
These episodes can last from 2 weeks to 6 months in the absence of treatment. They combine:
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A feeling of sadness, of emptiness
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A loss of interest in daily activities
These two central symptoms are often accompanied by:
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Insomnia or, conversely, an excessive desire to sleep
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A loss of appetite
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Significant weight loss or weight gain
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Difficulty concentrating
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Difficulty making decisions
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Feeling of life or slowing down or, conversely, speeding up
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Decreased self-esteem.
During the depressive episode, the bipolar patient may feel suicidal.
Watch my video about depression.
To read
This illustrated book turns the focus outward bipolarity, offering a self-help guide of tips, tricks and tools by someone who has been through it all and come through stronger for it.
- Amazon € 17.50 -
The book guides those with bipolar disorder and their loved ones toward a comprehensive personal treatment plan incl. lifestyle change, behavior modification and assembling a support team.
- Amazon € 21.99 -
What's it like to be overtaken by mental illness and completely lose yourself in madness? With staggering insight and brutal honesty, Oliver Seligman describes what insanity is like from the inside.
- Amazon € 16 -
Bipolar Disorders in Figures
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According to the WHO, bipolar disorder affects 60 million people around the world.
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An equal number of men and women develop bipolar illness and it is found in all ages, races, ethnic groups and social classes.
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This psychiatric illness often begins in adolescents or young adulthood, between the ages of 15 and 25.
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People with bipolar disorder face up to 10 years of coping with symptoms before getting an accurate diagnosis, with only 1 in 4 receiving an accurate diagnosis in less than 3 years (DBSA, 2000)