Understanding Bipolar Personality

The word “bipolar” was coined to best describe a mental illness that is noted for erratic mood swings. One of the meanings of the word “pole” could be explained as being on opposite ends of a spectrum, or range of ideas, behavior, or opinions.  Euphoria and depression can be said to be polar opposites of one another in that they are two vastly different emotional states of mind. Thus, the word bipolar refers to someone who has moods that swing in succession from one end, or pole, of the emotions to the other, opposite end.

Bipolar disorder has many names, such as manic depression, bipolar mood disorder, bipolar affective disorder, bipolar syndrome, manic depressive psychosis, bipolar depression, and bipolar personality disorder. All these names refer to the same illness, an illness that over 2 million Americans suffer from on a daily basis.

The “Up” Side Of Bipolar Personality

What is a bipolar personality? Think of someone you may be acquainted with who at times seems to be almost too happy. They are quite sociable, and can talk a mile a minute, as if their mind is racing and they can not get the words out quickly enough. You notice that they don’t seem to need very much sleep. They are extremely optimistic about the world at large, and seem to have a very inflated sense of self-esteem. They come up with grandiose schemes that no one could possibly accomplish, yet they will insist that can do anything.

You get the impression that they feel as if they are superhuman. They tend to be reckless and impulsive, easily distracted, and don’t take the time to think about the consequences of their actions. When others voice concern over their plans, they can get very angry, and try to pin the blame for any wrong their lack of judgment may have caused on anyone but themselves.  This person is unable to see that his behavior is not normal. All of these scenarios can be signs of someone who is in the manic phase of bipolar personality disorder.

The “Down” Side

The next time you happen to see this same person, he may be behaving quite differently. If you can get him or her to speak to you at all, they may began to cry and tell you that their life is a hopeless and lost cause, and that they hate themselves. To you, they seem keyed up, anxious, and restless, yet you’re surprised to hear them complain of being tired all the time. They have lost interest in doing anything at all, including their job or schooling, hobbies, or social life - things that always motivated them before, and prefer to spend most of their time in bed asleep.

You will see that they may have gained or lost weight.  During your conversation, you will notice that he or she seems to be having a hard time focusing on the conversation, and memory problems might be evident.  These behaviors indicate someone who may be in the depressive phase of bipolar personality disorder.

Or, you may be dismayed to see some of both the manic and depressive behaviors at the same time in your friend or acquaintance. This is known as a mixed episode. The symptoms can also alternate from one phase to the other, with sometimes disastrous results. A combination of manic high energy and deep dark depression can bring out suicidal tendencies in some individuals.

Cyclic Symptoms

A person does not have to have each symptom listed above to be considered bipolar, but the manic symptoms in particular will be indicative of a problem. Bipolar personality disorder symptoms are cyclic. A person can be depressed, manic, or absolutely normal.

Treatment for this illness consists of one or more medications, and therapy from a qualified professional. Bipolar personality disorder is not curable, but it can definitely be controlled to allow those with this illness to lead happy and productive lives.

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