The symptoms of manic depression can be physical, psychological, and behavioral. Manic episodes can cause irritability or euphoria. Depression can cause sadness and feelings of hopelessness.
Some physical symptoms of manic depression are fatigue, changes in appetite, changes in sex drive, a decreased need for sleep, and fidgeting. The fidgeting that is associated with episodes of depression is called psychomotor agitation by mental health professionals. Depression can also cause the persons actions to be slower than usual which is referred to as psychomotor retardation.
Due to changes in appetite, people with manic depression may lose weight or gain weight. The changes in sex drive can also be an increase or decrease from normal levels.
During a manic episode, the person may not become tired as usual and may feel as if they do not need to sleep. Depression can cause a person to have insomnia or to sleep more than usual.
Cognitive symptoms of manic depression can include perceptions of worthlessness and difficulty concentrating associated with depressive episodes. Racing thoughts, increased talkativeness, increased focus and goal-oriented activities, and distractibility are common symptoms of manic depression.
And increased involvement in activities for pleasure without regard to consequences is a behavioral symptom of manic episodes. During a manic episode, the person may engage in drug use or sexual indiscretions even if they would not normally do those things.
Unlike symptoms of mania, common symptoms of depression include a lack of the ability to feel pleasure. A person who is depressed may lose their ability to feel pleasure which is called anhedonia.
Both depression and mania can cause psychotic symptoms. Psychotic symptoms are hallucinations or delusions that are not based in reality. The hallucinations and delusions of manic depression are different from those caused by schizophrenia. Hallucinations and delusions from manic depression are related to feelings of euphoria, guilt, or depression.
For example, an auditory hallucination experienced during a depressive episode could be hearing voices telling the person to kill themselves. During a depression, the person may experience thoughts of suicide or engage in suicide attempts. The person may mean to see a doctor or psychiatrist for an adjustment in their medication if the symptoms of manic depression that they experience become worse.
Sheila Wilson explains what are the common cognitive therapy for bipolar disorder and how to spot bipolar disorder in children in the early days. For details please visit her website to read on further.
