When we talk about health, we usually only think of our physical well-being. However, health includes not only a person’s physical aspect, but also his or her mental and social well-being. Someone in good mental health is able to fairly assess his or her own worth. He or she has the ability to connect emotionally with others, and is capable of behaving properly. But just as the body can get sick, so can the mind. It, too, can suffer from a variety of disorders that can affect a person’s behavior or mood.
One of the most commonly known mental illnesses is bipolar disorder, which was formerly called manic depression. It is characterized by mood swings that range from emotional highs (mania or hypomania) to emotional lows (depression). Sometimes, a person with bipolar disorder could even feel both at the same time.
Bipolar disorder is more common than you might suspect. According to statistics, more than 5 million adults in the United States suffer from the condition, making up around 2.6 percent of the population. Because mental disorders are not acknowledged or talked about as openly they should, there may even be a greater number of people who have the illness without knowing it.
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness, but its symptoms such as mood swings can be managed with proper treatment that may include medication or psychotherapy. Though the condition is not easy to diagnose, some behavioral signals could lead to a proper diagnosis.
The following list includes 13 depressive symptoms (1 to 13) and 12 manic symptoms (14 to 25) that a person with bipolar disorder may exhibit.
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