Bipolar disorder usually begins in adolescence and can cause changes in mood, from the highs of mania or hypomania to the lows of depression. A bipolar person may go through shifts in mood from only a couple times a year to as many as several times a day, notes MayoClinic.com. The causes of bipolar disorder may be very specific to the individual, so an individual assessment is critical in order to determine a person's specific triggers. However, there are some general triggers to look for.
Drugs and Alcohol
Many times, a person with bipolar disorder may begin using drugs and alcohol as a way to self-medicate symptoms of both depression and mania, notes MayoClinic.com. The problem is that both drugs and alcohol can stimulate the onset and severity of the symptoms of bipolar disorder.
Treatment Medication
Medication is one of the main forms of treatment in reducing the symptoms of bipolar disorder, but many people with bipolar disorder have trouble maintaining the consistent use of their medication. There are times when a person with bipolar disorder may be feeling good and is not displaying symptoms, so she may stop taking her medication or reduce her dosage. Also, a person with bipolar may enjoy the highs associated with mania or hypomania and, thus, may not take her medications regularly. When a person with bipolar disorder stops taking medication or reduces the dosage without consulting a doctor, it may trigger the onset of a bipolar episode, reports MayoClinic.com.
Other Medications
There are certain medications that have been found to trigger manic episodes, such as antidepressant drugs, over-the-counter cold medicines, appetite suppressants, caffeine, corticosteroids and thyroid medications, reports HelpGuide.org.
Stress
According to HelpGuide.org, a person with a genetic vulnerability can trigger bipolar disorder when he is exposed to stressful life events; these events are drastic or sudden, and can be good or bad, such as marriage, divorce, going away to college, losing a loved one, losing a job or getting a big promotion.
Sleep
Getting too little sleep can trigger a manic episode in some individuals, reports HelpGuide.org. Also, getting too much sleep may cause other problems and may stimulate the onset of a depressive episode. Generally seven to eight hours of sleep is what a person with bipolar disorder should be getting on a daily basis.
Seasons
Mania tends to occur in the summer, while depressive episodes are more common in the fall, winter and spring months, notes HelpGuide.org. The episodes of bipolar disorder can be triggered by changes in the seasons.
