Does anyone know the symptoms of being bi-polar?

Question

My Son has terrible mood swings, can't sleep, and is very thin, and can't gain weight,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Answer 1

Mood swings for SURE!

Answer 2

Mood swings of course, but if your son is a teenager, you get those anyway.
Sympoms include...
SEVERE mood swings with marked and distinct periods of very low mood and very high mood.

LOW MOOD
sleepier than usual (this is MORE COMMON in Bipolars than depressives, who often can't sleep)
Thoughts of worthlessness, self loathing
thoughts or actual self harm
Thoughts of suicide
lack of enjoyment in PREVIOUSLY ENJOYABLE activities
Noticeable change in apetite (may eat more OR less)
Withdrawal from social situations
Slowed down - speech and action may be noticeably slower than usual.

HIGH MOOD
inability to sleep - sometimes for days on end
extremely sociable, may become promiscuous
indulges in HIGH RISK behaviour
may experience delusions of grandeur
grandiose ideas (BIG< BIG ideas that seem unrealistic)
May spend A LOT - get into debt
may behave compulsively (absolutely HAVE to do something)
speech seems rapid as too many ideas come at once
movement is rapid and constant (never sit still)
may become irritable, feels like others are too stupid or slow to keep up.
feel invincible.
May be too busy to remember to eat or may eat compulsively

This is a pretty good checklist, several of these from each list would suggest bipolar, at which point it's worth talking to your doctor as there are a LOT of treatments available. Check out also www.mdf.org.uk as they have a lot of information on bipolar, a great self management programme, groups and courses especially for young people and have support groups and information for carers too
Good luck

Answer 3

As unkind as it may seem, the first thing to look for is drugs! So many parents think "not my child" but that's usually the case. If your child is showing symptoms of bi-polar or schizophrenia look for drastic mood swings and the notion of wanting to be alone, and hearing voices if schizophrenic. This condition usually comes on around 18 years of age but can happen anytime. Highs and lows are the norm for bi-polar. They can be euphoric one moment and suicidal the next. Again, the very first thing to check for is drugs like speed, meth, cocaine etc, etc.

Answer 4

Mania:

* Increased energy level
* Less need for sleep
* Racing thoughts or mind jumps around
* Easily distracted
* More talkative than usual or feeling pressure to keep talking
* More self-confident than usual
* Focused on getting things done, but often completing little
* Risky or unusual activities to the extreme, even if it�s likely bad things will happen

The symptoms of bipolar disorder can vary from one person to another. People with bipolar disorder should talk with their health care providers about their symptoms at each visit. Symptoms of depression and mania (formerly referred to as "manic depression symptoms") include the following.

Depression:

* Feeling sad or blue, or �down in the dumps�
* Loss of interest in things the person used to enjoy, including sex
* Feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty
* Sleeping too little or too much
* Changes in weight or appetite
* Feeling tired or having little or no energy
* Feeling restless
* Problems concentrating or making decisions
* Thoughts of death or suicide

Answer 5

My son i bipolar and he had mood swings. sometimes feels great and sometimes feels so down. sleeplessness and not eating are symptoms. Depression is bipolar. Has no interest in anything. Things that are pretty like a sunset won't matter to him.etc. My son is in the process of trying to get help. Some bipolar patients need medication. Need to see a doctor. Threapist.

Answer 6

The main symptom of bipolar disorder would be having very high highs, and very low lows. Your mood can swing one way or another for a few days or for a few weeks.

Web-MD has good information about it, here's a link:

http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/tc/Bipolar-Disorder-Topic-Overview.

As far as if your son has it or not, you should take him to a doctor soon to get an accurate diagnosis.

Answer 7

Bipolar disorder is characterized by dramatic mood swings, from very high to very low (polar opposite moods, which give the illness its name). Those with bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic-depressive illness, repeatedly experience these mood swings, either within a day or over several months. Most have a fairly calm mood between the two extremes. Bipolar disorder usually first appears in young adulthood and continues throughout life, but the illness may appear as early as childhood.

Because bipolar disorder is a mood disorder, it becomes apparent in such behaviors as level of activity, energy, sleep patterns, appetite, speech, thinking, and judgment.

Bipolar disorder is common; it occurs in about one per cent of the population. However, many sufferers are undiagnosed and untreated.
What are the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder?

Everybody has mood changes, but not everyone has the drastic mood swings that are characteristic of bipolar disorder. The high mood of bipolar disorder is called mania, or a manic episode. The low mood of bipolar disorder is called depression, or a depressive episode.

Bipolar disorder can severely disrupt normal activities, such as work, school, and relationships. People in the depressive phase of bipolar disorder may feel so low that they can’t even get out of bed in the morning. In the manic phase, people feel highly energized and may go on spending sprees, sleep little, overindulge in drugs or alcohol, or engage in risky sexual activities. Bipolar Disorder Symptoms
Signs of Mania or a Manic Episode

Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
Inflated self-importance; in some, delusions or hallucinations.

Euphoric mood
Feeling “high”, excessively optimistic, better than ever before.

Extreme irritability
Feeling irritable or angry; Behavior that is aggressive, provocative, or intrusive.

Decreased need for sleep
Feeling rested after just a few hours of sleep.

More talkative than usual
Extremely talkative and sociable; pressure to keep talking.

Racing thoughts
Flight of ideas; can't keep up with your own ideas and thoughts.

Distractibility
Inability to concentrate, distracted, restless.

Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation
Extremely energetic; increased productivity; a feeling of high intelligence and creativity.

Risky behavior
Excessive involvement in pleasurable or high risk activities, such as sex, drug or alcohol use, gambling, or spending sprees.

Impaired judgment
Reckless, impulsive, unpredictable; No perception that the mood and behaviors are abnormal.
Signs of Depression or a Depressive Episode

Depressed mood
Feeling hopeless, sad, discouraged, or empty.

Loss of interest or pleasure
Inability to experience pleasure. Nothing seems to interest you anymore, including former hobbies, social activities, and sex.

Appetite or weight changes
Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.

Sleep changes
Insomnia or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).

Psychomotor agitation or retardation
“Keyed up,” unable to sit still, anxious, restless or sluggish, slow speech and body movements, lack of responsiveness.

Fatigue or loss of energy
Physically drained. Even small tasks are exhausting. Can't do things as quickly as you used to.

Self-loathing
Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Harsh criticism of perceived faults and mistakes.

Concentration problems
Inability to focus. Difficulty making decisions. Can’t “think straight.” Memory problems.


A person in the manic phase of bipolar disorder rarely seeks help because they usually feel good and don't recognize that anything is wrong. People are more likely to seek help during the depressive phase of bipolar disorder when their symptoms are unpleasant and recognizably disruptive. But some do not even seek help during depressive episodes because they have no energy and no hope that anything can change.

people with bi polar are usualy very sensative and its unlikley to take them to the doctor cause they will refuse but bi-polar disorder and deppression usualy is hard to diagnose through adolescence you just have to decide weather your son has a serious problem or just like a normal teenager,how old is your son?is he at school?does he have alot of pressure put on him

Answer 8

bi-polar is a lot like depression, only depression is a constant low, where as when someone is bi-polar, it's more ups and downs. They can be really happy one minute and really sad/upset the next.

how old is he? if he's still young or a teenager, it's probably just normal. It doesn't really sound like he's bi-polar.

Answer 9

U.K.
Samaritans 24 hr. Helpline. 0845 7909090.
U.K
MIND Mind Helpline 0845 766 0163 Open Monday to Friday 9.15am to 5.15pm SANE (http://www.sane.org.uk) SANELINE - 0845 767 8000 Open 1pm-11pm 365 days a year ...


Take him to the Drs as soon as you can. And get a blood test for drugs done while you're there too.
Men can get food disorders as well as women .
Just get him to a good Dr who will look after him, as long as he gets the truth of the situation.

M : )

Answer 10

bi-polarity's symptoms include depression, irritablility, when the person shows no interest in any of the fun things he or she used to do (for example, go online, watch tv, all that good stuff), signs of depression, weightloss, getting really hyper and loss of energy, and lack of concentration (lots of zoning out, signs of worriness, nervousness, jitterness)