Guest Article by Janice Killey

Human beings are entitled to feel different emotions. And because you’re faced with different situations every day, the joy you feel in the morning might no longer be present during the latter part of the day. Because of various factors, your emotions can change almost instantly. But how can you tell if your sudden change of emotions is normal? When can you draw the line between being emotional or being someone who has bipolar disorder? To give answers to questions like these, watch for these signs of bipolar disorder:

1. You have a great mood: Having a bipolar disorder means that you’ll be having up-and-down episodes of depression and mania. This means that you can still feel happy and sad, but when you do, it’s always to the extremes. One symptom of this disorder is hypomania wherein you’re in a high-energy state. During this phase, you’ll feel energetic and creative at the same time, but this won’t last for long – this is only the “up” side of the disorder.
2. You’re suffering from depression: When you have a bipolar disorder, you’ll experience the same things a person with depression will experience. You’ll have issues with your appetite, sleep, and energy. What makes depression different from bipolar disorder though, is that the former can be treated with antidepressants and the latter can’t. Antidepressants can worsen the disorder over time and can even cause the patient to experience mania more frequently.
3. You can’t complete tasks: Assess your working space. Is this area filled with unfinished projects? Are you more of a starter but never a finisher with your tasks? If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, it’s a telltale sign that you have bipolar disorder. Patients with this disorder often have the energy to start many projects at the same time (regardless of how many these are) and lose the interest to continue or finish any.
4. You’re irritable with anyone: There are also people who are suffering from a condition of mixed mania because of bipolar disorder. When this happens, they experience depression and mania at the same time – and this could lead to extreme irritability. The people you love hanging out with can now be the reason why you’re so angry all the time. Yes, everyone has bad days but when your irritability already affects your relationships, and you can’t control this emotion, bipolar disorder might be the reason for your behavior.
5. You are abusing drugs and alcohol: Since depression is linked to bipolar disorder, alcohol and drugs can be your mediums to feel good or alleviate the sadness that you’re feeling. You might be drinking too much just to slow down a manic phase and alcohol to improve your mood.
6. You have trouble at work: Your work can be greatly affected when you have bipolar disorder. For one thing, since you have sleep problems because of this disorder, you’ll have a hard time reporting to work on time. Your mood also changes without any valid reason when you have bipolar disorder – and no one wants to befriend someone who’s unpredictable all the time, right? Without relationships with your colleagues, it’ll be difficult for you to work with others and vice versa. Your inability to complete tasks can also be the reason why you’re never promoted at work.

Once you’ve noticed any of these signs, you should immediately seek professional help. There are many counseling services, like Psychologist Southern Sydney, that can teach you how to handle this kind of disorder so you can pave the way towards your recovery.

In Conclusion

Some people think that bipolar disorder is actually “just depression,” but they’re wrong. Contrary to popular belief, bipolar disorder is a serious health risk, and if this is not treated as soon as possible, this can become the reason why you can’t perform at school or work, and for your relationships to be ruined. When you’re suffering from this disorder, you’ll also experience legal and financial consequences because of your impulsive decisions. Prevent all of these from happening by being wary of the signs of bipolar disorder. Once you determine that you’re experiencing even one of these signs, seek help and know that there will always be hope for recovery.

Janice Killey

Janice has a wealth of experience and training. She holds a Diploma of Education, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), Master of Arts (Counseling), Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy (ASH) and is a Registered Psychologist at Psychologists Southern Sydney. She’s also a member of the Australian Psychological Society.