When people experience serious extremes of mood, to the point where their moods interfere with their everyday life. If you have bipolar disorder your mood is likely to go through extreme highs (known as mania or hypomania) and lows (known as depression). However, what those moods feel like and how quickly or slowly you move between high and low moods is different for everyone. As a result, several different types of bipolar disorder have been identified.
The mood changes and feelings experienced by people with bipolar disorder are different from mood changes that most people experience in everyday life. Mood changes that occur as a result of bipolar disorder are extremely disruptive and impact on a person’s ability to function day to day.
Someone with bipolar disorder will experience mood changes between manic and depressed episodes.
- When experiencing a manic episode, it’s common to feel or experience:
- Really happy
- Energetic
- Racing thoughts
- Irritable
- A reduced need to sleep
- More sexual than usual
When experiencing a depressed episode, it’s common to feel or experience:
- Uninterested in all activities
- Changes in appetite
- Weight loss or gain
- Changes in sleeping patterns
- A loss of energy
- Unable to concentrate
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