how to find out if someone is bipolar?

Answer 1

OK, so it's a mood disorder and a serious mental illness. It has a strong genetic component, but appears to be triggered environmentally. There are no diagnostic tests for it, just psychiatric evaluation. Most sufferers are not diagnosed until middle age, and it takes an average of around 8-10 years to get a correct diagnosis. Historically, figures suggested it affects about 0.8% of the population at some point, which makes it about half as common as schizophrenia. In recent years, bipolar disorder has become an 'in' diagnosis, and many more people are being diagnosed at younger and younger ages. As with ADHD, this fad may well pass with time, although for the moment many celebrities appear to be 'popularising' it.

It is characterised by episodes of severe clinical depression and mania or hypomania (for definitions of those, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_diagnostic_criteria_for_bipolar_disorder ). The extreme end of mania often turns into psychosis, complete with hallucinations and delusions. During manic phases, the person's judgement and perception of reality is severely compromised, leading to risky actions with potentially damaging consequences (financially, sexually and relationship-wise). Untreated, episodes generally worsen over time due to an effect known as kindling. Untreated Bipolar sufferers are at a very high risk of suicide: 20-25% attempt it, and 15% succeed.

The cycles in bipolar disorder are much longer than people generally believe. Anyone whose mood changes from minute to minute is very unlikely to be bipolar. Bipolar 1 is characterised by mood episodes lasting many months, while Bipolar 2 has episodes in the region of weeks to months. Rapid and ultra-rapid cycling bipolar disorder is rare, and cycles last days to weeks.

There are many drugs available to treat the symptoms of bipolar (there is no cure). These are either anti-convulsants or anti-psychotics (personally I take both), and the most well known of these is Lithium. Most patients will go through a number of different drugs before finding one that works for them.

Answer 2

Only a doctor can make that diagnosis. There are many symptoms that point to a bipolar illness; however, some people who have these symptoms actually have a different problem than a bipolar illness.

If you suspect someone is bipolar, then help him or her get medical treatment. Even going to a good family doctor can help tremendously.

It is hard to encourage someone to get help, but you can do it if you use tact and let the person know how much you care. Don't use the term bipolar to the person though. Just say that you think he or she needs help to feel better and more like his or herself.

Good luck.

Answer 3

A diagnosis of bipolar illness is made by a qualified professional.

The diagnostic criteria for bipolar illness is listed in DSM which is the official manual for diagnosing mental illness. The criteria are probably available online.

By reading the criteria, you will get some clues as to whether a person seems bipolar to you.

Answer 4

From high to low. From euphoria to depression. From recklessness to listlessness. These are the extremes associated with bipolar disorder, which can be a serious and disabling mental illness. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depression or manic-depressive illness — manic behavior is one extreme of this disorder and depression is the other.

Bipolar disorder often begins in adolescence or early adulthood and may persist throughout life. The causes of bipolar disorder are elusive, and there's no cure.

The flares of bipolar disorder may last for weeks or months, causing great disturbances in the lives of those affected, their friends and their families. Left untreated, the condition usually worsens. But bipolar disorder can be managed with medications and other therapies

Signs and symptoms
Bipolar disorder is characterized by an alternating pattern of emotional highs (mania) and lows (depression). The intensity of the associated signs and symptoms varies. Bipolar disorder can range from a mild condition to a severe condition, and there may be periods of normal behavior.

Manic phase
For many people, signs and symptoms in the manic phase may include:

Feelings of euphoria, extreme optimism and inflated self-esteem
Rapid speech, racing thoughts, agitation and increased physical activity
Poor judgment
Recklessness or taking chances not normally taken
Difficulty sleeping
Tendency to be easily distracted
Inability to concentrate
Aggressive behavior
Depressive phase
In the depressive phase, signs and symptoms include:

Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, guilt or hopelessness
Disturbances in sleep and appetite
Fatigue and loss of interest in daily activities
Problems concentrating
Irritability
Chronic pain without a known cause
Recurring thoughts

Answer 5

My husband is bi polar. Some symptoms are: sever mood swings, paranoia, change in sleeping pattern. You can also go to the website www.webmd.com I'm sure they can help. If someone is bipolar they need to go to a psychiatrist to get put on medication.

Answer 6

You need to see the doc in order to get a diagnosis of bi-polar. They will run tests to rule out other causes and then based on test results etc they will decide if someone has bi-polar or not.

Answer 7

from here:http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bipolar-disorder/DS00356/DSECTION=2

Answer 8

well almost everyone has a little bit of bipoler disorder because people do have there up's and there down's