The duration of the symptoms, their severity and their impact on daily life make it possible to distinguish mood swings from bipolar disorder.
- Bipolar disorders are distinguished from mood swings by the severity of symptoms.
- They are also characterized by longer phases of mood swings.
- Finally, bipolar disorders have a severe impact on quality of life.
There are days with and days without. But at what stage do mood swings become worrying? Psychiatrists have answered this question for the DailyMail. According to them, there are three main characteristics that distinguish bipolar disorder from mood swings.
Mood swings or bipolarity: it depends on the severity of the symptoms
First, they believe that the severity of symptoms is an indicator. For them, bipolar disorders are characterized by very significant mood swings. Dr Guy Goodwin, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Oxford University, describes the symptoms during the hypomanic phases: “patients talk a lot, they may be very active, do not sleep much and feel overconfident“. When this mood change persists, it can become a manic phase.”They take risks they wouldn’t normally take, emphasizes this specialist. They may disconnect from reality, experience paranoia or hallucinations.”
At the other extreme, there are the depressive phases. They are also marked by very intense symptoms. This can be a lack of interest in things the person usually enjoys, fatigue, restlessness, crying, eating disorders, or withdrawal from social life. “If a bipolar person is in a bad mood, they may sink into a deep depression, where they are unable to function normally and may have recurring suicidal thoughts.”adds Dr. Goodwin.
Bipolarity: mood swings that last
The second main characteristic of bipolarity is the persistence of these symptoms. The specialist explains that people suffering from it feel these mood swings over several weeks: depressive episodes persist for at least two weeks, or even for months. Conversely, manic episodes last at least a week. Dr Sai Achuthan, a psychiatrist in Tauton, South West England, says bipolarity is characterized by two or more episodes during which mood and activity are “ssignificantly disturbed”. “A classic manic episode lasts more than a week, and usually four to eight weeks, develops theHealth Insurance. It often leads to the proposal of hospitalization, to treat (or even protect) the sick person.”
Mood: bipolarity has daily impacts
The persistence and extreme severity of symptoms have a significant impact on daily life. This is another characteristic of bipolar disorders: they prevent the maintenance of normal activity. “People with bipolar often do not have full cognitive control when living mood swings, so they end up doing things they wouldn’t normally do and regret laterexplains Dr. Goodwin. This behavior can be extremely disturbing, for example, they may miss work if they are depressed or take impulsive and reckless risks if they are manic.“
Bipolar disorders: treatments to limit symptoms
If mood swings regulate themselves naturally, bipolar disorder should be taken care of. Drug treatments can help stabilize mood. But the Health Insurance also advises adopting a suitable lifestyle: minimal stress, physical activity, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep and a regular rhythm.
