Common Bipolar Symptoms in Adults – What You Should Know

Bipolar disorder symptoms in adults are easier to establish than in small children and can be severe. These symptoms are very different from the usual turbulent emotions experienced in daily life and can lead to damaged relationships, poor performance in school and at work, and an inability to perform routine tasks and in the extreme suicide. It often develops in the teenage years and can go unnoticed for many years and the symptoms may seem like separate problems at first making it difficult to spot. This disorder is a long term illness that needs to be managed carefully throughout the patient’s life.

The symptoms of bipolar disorder in adults are classified into two categories unique to the pole or extreme episode that the patient is displaying. Some of the common symptoms of the manic episode are mood changes of elation, euphoria and extreme optimism that can lead to poor judgement. Aggressive behaviour and hyperactivity is also observed and a heightened sexual activity is seen in the patient. The patient may also suffer from insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, impulsiveness, quick and unfocused speech, hostility, delusions, irritability and paranoia. The surprising thing is that despite all this high energy activities the patient does not feel fatigued and seems to be on a roller coaster.

The other classification of bipolar disorder symptoms in adults is the depression episode. This is characterised by the exact opposite of the manic episode. The patient feels hopeless, guilty, and worthless, tired and tends to be forgetful. They also have trouble sleeping or sleep too much, lose or gain a lot of weight and lose interest in activities that they enjoyed or may withdraw from society. Patients lack concentration and feel overwhelmed by their emotions leading to suicidal feelings. Feelings of apathy and self loathing may also be encountered and the patient will want to withdraw from the rest of society completely.

In uncommon cases, the patient may experience a mixed affective episode which is in essence a state during which symptoms of mania and those of depression occur simultaneously. The patient may get teary during a manic episode or have a torrent of racing thoughts during a depressive episode. This mixed state is the most dangerous period of mood disorders and may lead to substance abuse, panic disorder and suicide attempts. Learning to recognise the bipolar disorder symptoms in adults is the key to unlocking the treatment for victims and helping to restore them back into regular society where they can be productive once more.