Five Signs of Bipolar Disorder Onset You Should Know
The onset of bipolar disorder can be slow, and it frequently occurs in adolescence. That said, mental illness is rife with stereotypes, and mood disorders can be incredibly hard to target. Bipolar disorder, itself, is difficult to find, and writing off an emergent bipolar problem as “moodiness” can lead to lacking care.
Bipolar disorder varies greatly in severity, and treatment for bipolar disorder relies upon the range of professional help options available. To ensure quality bipolar disorder treatment, you’ll need to approach it quickly. Below are five bipolar disorder onset symptoms you should watch for, both in yourself and in your loved ones.
Symptom One: Lacking Ability to Complete Tasks
Experts believe bipolar disorder onset is heavily characterized by the individual’s lacking ability to pursue goals, complete tasks and remain productive. Those able to harness energy in a hypomanic stage can be incredibly productive, yet these periods of productivity are often “left off.”
For this reason, a house filled with half-completed chores, projects and cleaning sprees may be indicative of its resident’s growing bipolar disorder. If you or a loved one has great difficulty jumping from task to task, or if unrealistic projects are drafted and never completed, a bipolar issue may be the cause. According to Center of Behavioral Health MD, Don Malone, those with a bipolar disorder onset may, “start a million things and never finish them.”
Symptom Two: An Increase in Risky Behavior
Treatment for bipolar disorder typically targets the individual’s capacity for risky behavior. Here, “risky” is defined by the individual’s want—or need—to indulge in drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling or overspending in an unsafe way. Bipolar disorder creates unrealistic overconfidence in one’s powers and abilities, often leading to the establishment of an incredibly energetic lifestyle filled with potentially dangerous situations.
While this risky behavior may not be blatant, it can “stick out” in those experiencing an oncoming bipolar period. Watch out for short periods of agitation, jumpiness and twitchiness. Similarly, look out for an overconfidence in spending ability.
Symptom Three: A Decrease in Overall Activity
Unfortunately, bipolar disorder may be misdiagnosed as depression due to its depressive swings. Similar to regular depression, bipolar disorder is characterized by long cycles of inactivity. These cycles of inactivity, however, shouldn’t be remedied with antidepressants—as antidepressants can send the individual into a fit of mania. If you or a loved one are experiencing periods of oversleeping, laziness, slowed speech and even break-with-reality levels of slowness, a bipolar disorder may be rearing its head.
Symptom Four: Work Difficulties
Because a growing bipolar problem is characterized by cycles of energy and lethargy, the individual’s professional life typically suffers. Many bipolar symptoms interfere with the individual’s ability to show up, complete tasks and interact with others. Over time, productivity itself may be damaged. Bipolar individuals may similarly lack work finesse due to trouble sleeping, ongoing energy, and even irritability. If you or a loved one are facing irreparable work problems, examine the problem closely. Excessive moods may be behind recent difficulties, leaving hanging threads where consistency was once present.
Symptom Five: Weight Change
While everyone’s weight changes as they age, bipolar individuals are often subjected to rapid weight gain and weight loss. Bipolar depression, for example, directly includes unpredictable mood swings, guilt, irritability and restless feelings. A bipolar episode’s cause for oversleeping, overeating and long periods of rest, too, may promote weight gain.
For this reason, bipolar disorder symptoms must be watched carefully. Weight loss, while a physical indicator, may still be overlooked by some. By catching bipolar disorder in its onset, you can assist yourself—or your loved one—with immediate care and action. Once treated, bipolar disorder is rather manageable. That said, it does require constant attention. Take care in determining mental health, and positively impact your life—as well as those around you.
His House Rehab offers industry leading Bipolar Disorder Treatment Programs. We were founded in 1994 and we base our Drug and Alcohol Treatment programs on five key principles: commitment, honesty, integrity, respect, and service. These five principles guide us in all that we do and all the care we provide. Contact us today to see how we can help you or your loved one.
