Bipolar Disorder

Baltimore, Bipolar Disorder Treatment

Bipolar Disorder: Refers to having bouts of depression, but at other times feeling the opposite of depressed, with a distinctly elevated mood and energy level.  During these highs, people may be more outgoing, spend more than usual, have less need for sleep and be unusually productive.  When depressed, they just can’t imagine getting as much done as when in a high. Some people with Bipolar are always either in one extreme or the other, so they don’t recognize the highs because they seem normal in comparison to the lows.  Most people with bipolar are more prone to the depressed rather than high phase, and for obvious reasons seek treatment when they are in a low.  Recognizing the existence of highs allows treatment to be optimized to treat the lows (for example, different medications may be used for Bipolar vs. non-Bipolar depression).  Other features of Bipolar can include irritability, feeling agitated, and anxiety.

Often, Bipolar Depression is associated with feeling sluggish, like someone pulled out your battery pack, and powered you down. This causes you to feel like everything is effortful. There can also be a mash-up of symptoms, for example simultaneously feeling geared up but also negative, depressed and frustrated at the same time.