Bipolar disorder is a disorder involving many highs, lows, regular periods, and mixed episodes. These more specifically are called mania (some may describe as a euphoric state), depressive states, neutral periods, and mixed episodes. Because bipolar is a mood disorder your mood may also affect your actions. Some symptoms of bipolar mania may include feeling incredibly up, feeling jumpy or extra active, irritability, needing little to no sleep, having racing thoughts, talking faster than you normally would, feeling like you are extra important or powerful, and engaging in risky activities. Depressive symptoms may include feeling sad, feeling hopeless, isolating one's self from others, talking very slowly, sleeping too much, having too little or too much to eat, and contemplating suicide. Mixed symptoms include a combination of both manic and depressive episodes. People with bipolar disorder are at a much higher risk of experiencing psychosis. Psychosis is basically hallucinations, they could be auditory, visual, tactile, and other senses could be affected as well. It is important to seek help because statistically people with bipolar disorder are at much higher risk than most of the population.
- People with Bipolar Disorder Risk Statistics -
* In the U.S population 2.6 percent of the population, age 18 or older experience bipolar
* 20-60% will attempt suicide at least once in their life
*40-70% of people with bipolar disorder struggle with substance abuse
* Compared to the general population, people with bipolar have 17 times the risk of suicide
