How do doctors diagnose bipolar?
There are no specific blood tests or brain scans to diagnose bipolar disorder. Even so, your doctor may perform a physical exam and order lab tests, including a thyroid function test and urine analyses. These tests can help determine if other conditions or factors could be causing your symptoms.
How can you tell if a person is bipolar?
Mania can cause other symptoms as well, but seven of the key signs of this phase of bipolar disorder are:
- feeling overly happy or “high” for long periods of time.
- having a decreased need for sleep.
- talking very fast, often with racing thoughts.
- feeling extremely restless or impulsive.
- becoming easily distracted.
Do I have bipolar 1 or 2?
The main difference between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 disorders lies in the severity of the manic episodes caused by each type. A person with bipolar 1 will experience a full manic episode, while a person with bipolar 2 will experience only a hypomanic episode (a period that’s less severe than a full manic episode).
Can a person with bipolar work?
There are many challenges related to having bipolar disorder and keeping a job. However, experts say that work can actually be quite helpful to people with bipolar disorder. Work can give people a sense of structure, reduce depression, and increase confidence. This may help to enhance overall mood and empower you.
What is wrong with a bipolar brain?
Disruption of circuits that communicate using dopamine in other brain areas appears connected to psychosis and schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in reality and illogical thought patterns and behaviors.
Does Bipolar worsen with age?
Bipolar may worsen with age or over time if this condition is left untreated. As time goes on, a person may experience episodes that are more severe and more frequent than when symptoms first appeared.
How quickly can bipolar moods change?
What is rapid cycling? Some people with bipolar disorder develop “rapid cycling” where they experience four or more episodes of mania or depression within a 12-month period. Mood swings can occur very quickly, like a rollercoaster randomly moving from high to low and back again over a period of days or even hours.
Can bipolar cycle daily?
Typically, someone with bipolar disorder experiences one or two cycles a year, with manic episodes generally occurring in the spring or fall. A 2010 study of people with bipolar 1 disorder found that mood episodes lasted an average of 13 weeks. 1 On average, people with bipolar will have one or two cycles yearly.