what are major signs of being bi-polar?

Question

just gimme some answers:)

Answer 1

Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression.
Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:

* Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
* Excessively "high," overly good, euphoric mood
* Extreme irritability
* Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
* Distractibility, can't concentrate well
* Little sleep needed
* Unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities and powers
* Poor judgment
* Spending sprees
* A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
* Increased sexual drive
* Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
* Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
* Denial that anything is wrong

A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.
Signs and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:

* Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood
* Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
* Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
* Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being "slowed down"
* Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
* Restlessness or irritability
* Sleeping too much, or can't sleep
* Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
* Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury
* Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

A depressive episode is diagnosed if five or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.

Answer 2

What are some of the signs of bipolar disorder?
At times, a person who has bipolar disorder may feel very happy, full of energy and able to do anything. The person might not even want to rest when he or she feels this way. This feeling is called mania (say: "may-nee-ah"). At other times, a person who has bipolar disorder may feel very sad and depressed. The person may not want to do anything when he or she feels this way. This is called depression. People with bipolar disorder can quickly go from mania to depression and back again.

Other signs of mania may include the following:

Feeling very irritable or angry
Thinking and talking so fast that other people can't follow your thoughts
Not sleeping at all
Feeling very powerful and important
Having trouble concentrating
Spending too much money
Abusing alcohol and drugs
Having sex without being careful to prevent pregnancy or disease
Other signs of depression may include the following:

No interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy, including sex
Feeling sad or numb
Crying easily or for no reason
Feeling slowed down, or feeling restless and irritable
Feeling worthless or guilty
Change in appetite; unintended change in weight
Trouble recalling things, concentrating or making decisions
Headaches, backaches or digestive problems
Problems sleeping, or wanting to sleep all of the time
Feeling tired all of the time
Thoughts about death and suicide

Answer 3

Below is an excerpt from the Wikipedia site. I've diagnosed with BP about 4 years ago. From my retrospect some of the signs that I can relate to are these:
1) Rapid Speech
2) Multiple Thoughts Simulteaneously
3) Spending Money Foolishly and at times going into debt.
4) Self Medicating
5) Wanting or Needing Less Sleep
6) Focusing on Certain things with unreasonable intensity.
7) More More More
Hypomania
Main article: Hypomania
Hypomania is a less severe form of mania without progression to psychosis. Many of the symptoms of mania are present, but to a lesser degree than in overt mania. People with hypomania are generally perceived as being energetic, euphoric, overflowing with new ideas, and sometimes highly confident and charismatic, and unlike full-blown mania, they are sufficiently capable of coherent thought and action to participate in everyday life.

Mixed state
Main article: Mixed state (psychiatry)
In the context of bipolar disorder, a mixed state is a condition during which symptoms of mania and depression occur simultaneously (e.g., agitation, anxiety, fatigue, guilt, impulsiveness, insomnia, irritability, morbid and/or suicidal ideation, panic, paranoia, pressured speech and rage). Typical examples include tearfulness during a manic episode or racing thoughts during a depressive episode. Mixed states can be the most dangerous period of mood disorders, during which panic attacks, substance abuse and suicide attempts increase greatly.

A dysphoric mania consists of a manic episode with depressive symptoms. Increased energy and some form of anger, from irritability to full blown rage, are the most common symptoms. Symptoms may also include auditory hallucinations, confusion, insomnia, persecutory delusions, racing thoughts, restlessness, and suicidal ideation. Alcohol, drugs of abuse and antidepressant drugs may trigger dysphoric mania in susceptible individuals.

Mania
Main article: Mania
Researchers at Duke University have refined Kraepelin’s four classes of mania to include hypomania (featuring mainly euphoria), severe mania (including euphoria, grandiosity, high levels of sexual drive, irritability, volatility, psychosis, paranoia, and aggression), extreme mania (most of the displeasures, hardly any of the pleasures) a.k.a. dysphoric mania, and two forms of mixed mania (where depressive and manic symptoms collide).[8]

Symptoms of psychosis include hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing the presence of stimuli that are not there) and delusions (false personal beliefs that are not subject to reason or contradictory evidence and are not explained by a person's cultural concepts). Feelings of paranoia, during which the patient believes he or she is being persecuted or monitored by the government or a hostile force. Intense and unusual religious beliefs may also be present, such as a patients' strong insistence that they have a God-given role to play in the world, a great and historic mission to accomplish, or even that they possess supernatural powers. Delusions may or may not be mood congruent.

Answer 4

Symptoms of Bipolar disorder: Cycles, or episodes, of depression, mania, or "mixed" manic and depressive symptoms typically recur and may become more frequent, often disrupting work, school, family, and social life.

Answer 5

Extreme moodiness, Loving someone and laughing one minute, then cursing and punching the next, Very high highs and very low lows , most have attempted suicide or threatened it. Make sure it;s not severe PMS , or menopause though.......

Answer 6

really depressed one min. happy the next. spending $ on things u don't really need but feel you HAVE to have. Irrational thinking. Erratic behavior. Behavior is extreme and rarely consistant.

Answer 7

Having both swinging conditions,depression and mania..

Answer 8

Your personality being up and down...one minute happy next minute bonkers! I work with one,,,I should know

Answer 9

sudden burst of anger for something very minor.

Answer 10

I found this website useful
http://www.pendulum.org/