Mental health diagnoses get a fair amount of misinformation spread about them because there isn’t enough education in the general population about them. One of the most commonly misunderstood, and misused, ones is Bipolar Disorder. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard things like “well my mother was bipolar and…”. You’d think everyone had a relative with it the way the word bipolar gets thrown around. I’ve noticed that women tend to get called bipolar more often, although men can experience Bipolar as well. But does everyone’s mom/spouse/cousin/aunt/etc. really have Bipolar Disorder?
First, I should clarify what people are saying when they think someone “is bipolar”. Typically they are saying that about someone who changes moods very rapidly and gets either very sad or very angry very easily. The person without Bipolar is saying that the person who supposedly has it just has big emotions they can’t handle and it’s a burden for others.
That’s not really what it is though. “Bipolar” is actually two related disorders, Bipolar I and Bipolar II. The difference is in the number of extreme moods experienced by the individual. Bipolar I describes someone who experiences cycles between Manic and Depressive episodes and is sometimes associated with the phrase “manic depressive”. Bipolar II describes someone who cycles through episodes of depression and “normal” mood levels. Yes, Bipolar I has 2 extreme moods and Bipolar II has 1 extreme mood. I didn’t name them, but I welcome anyone with a time machine who can go back in time and fix that for us. To keep things simple, I’m going to ignore Bipolar II and focus on Bipolar I because that’s the one most people mean when they talk about it.
Someone who experiences Bipolar I experiences periods of BOTH depression and mania. Anger and irritability are not major features (though not completely irrelevant) and for our purposes today I will leave them out to keep things simple. Most people have an idea of what depression is because everyone has been sad. The one that trips people up is mania. Mania is essentially the opposite of depression. Mania is a state of exaggerated mood and energy level that is essentially constant euphoria. During a manic episode people tend to by incredibly hyperactive, speak incredibly quickly, and have a highly inflated ego. They also have a highly reduced need for sleep. Mania is different form being really happy. Mania can be like not sleeping for three days, cleaning your entire house twice, and running down to the police station naked to throw rocks at police cars. That example isn’t completely made up.
Is that the kind of thing I hear about when people say someone is bipolar? No. It’s most often used as a way to explain someone who gets irritated and upset easily. Does your mom/spouse/cousin/aunt/etc have Bipolar I? Probably not. However, if you do have concerns about someone you know who experiences depression or manic episodes please assist them in seeking help. Even though it gets overused Bipolar I is real and could benefit from professional help.
-Travis
Leave a Reply