According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 5.7 million Americans are affected by bipolar disorder, which causes a person to experiences drastic mood swings. The individual could be elated one day and severely depressed the next. Characteristics of bipolar personality can create erratic behavior and impulsiveness, and also lead to substance abuse, marital or relational problems and work or career issues.
Depression
Episodes of depression could include: severe sadness, bouts of crying, loss of interest in daily activities, changes in sleep or eating habits, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, difficulty concentrating or thoughts of self-harm or suicide. This is more than just having the "blues." For an individual to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depressive episodes must last 2 weeks or more within a 2-year time frame.
Mania
Episodes of mania that occur in a bipolar personality often include racing thoughts, easy distraction, excessive talkativeness, sleeplessness, agitation, temporary inflation of self-esteem, lofty goal setting and the pursuit of interests that have potentially harmful consequences, such as shopping sprees, sexual indiscretions or risky business ventures. These manic episodes can take two forms. Hypomania means that the individual is in a good mood and extensive energy. The presence of hypomania in a bipolar personality can make diagnosis difficult, as the individual does not recognize good moods as indicative of a mood disorder. Full-blown mania sends the individual into a highly elated state. The symptoms are more problematic, and the behavior is more easily recognizable as a mood disorder. This highly elated state often leaves the individual drained both physically and emotionally. For an individual to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the manic episode must occur for a period of 1 week within a 2-year time frame.
Mixed State of Depression and Mania
Bipolar personalities alternate between depression and mania and are often separated by periods of normal mood. Because some individuals with episodes of mania and depression never reach full-blown levels, bipolar disorder can go undiagnosed, however, a condition know as "cycling" or cyclothymic disorder is recognized. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM IV), those who are diagnosed with cyclothymic disorder have a 15- to 50-percent chance of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder over time.
