Symptoms of mania (“the highs”):
- Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement
- Sudden changes from being joyful to being irritable, angry, and hostile
- Restlessness
- Rapid speech and poor concentration
- Increased energy and less need for sleep
- Unusually high sex drive
- Making grand and unrealistic plans
- Showing poor judgment
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Becoming more impulsive
- Less need for sleep
- Less of an appetite
- Larger sense of self-confidence and well-being
- Being easily distracted
During depressive periods (“the lows”), a person with bipolar disorder may have:
- Sadness
- Loss of energy
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
- Not enjoying things they once liked
- Trouble concentrating
- Forgetfulness
- Talking slowly
- Less of a sex drive
- Inability to feel pleasure
- Uncontrollable crying
- Trouble making decisions
- Irritability
- Needing more sleep
- Insomnia
- Appetite changes that make you lose or gain weight
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Attempting Suicide