| When I studied bipolar disorder in medical school, I | | | | difficult even for experts to notice. This is one reason |
| thought it was very simple. You got high, you got low, | | | | suggested to explain the long time it takes to diagnose |
| you got better, then you started again. | | | | bipolar disorder. |
| Then I started to have painful psychological symptoms, | | | | There are lists of typical bipolar symptoms available |
| so I looked up the books, but no disorder seemed to fit | | | | but they are invariably presented under the headings |
| my experience very well. | | | | of 'mania' and 'depression'. Manic symptoms include |
| The official version of the symptoms of bipolar | | | | elation, feeling invincible, irritability, busy, talking fast, |
| disorder are contained in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic | | | | thinking fast and having lots of ideas, sleeplessness. |
| & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth | | | | Depressive symptoms include dejection, pessimism, |
| Edition published by the American Psychiatric | | | | getting no enjoyment from life, difficulty concentrating, |
| Association). This, however, didn't throw much light on | | | | lethargy, belief that 'I am a bad person' and so on. |
| things, because to quote the Manual itself, 'it is | | | | If you consult these lists, feel free to identify with |
| produced for mental health specialists, its use by | | | | symptoms of both. The other factor with bipolar |
| people without clinical training can lead to inappropriate | | | | disorder is that people tend to self-medicate. Alcohol |
| application of its contents.' Great. | | | | does have a moderating effect on manic symptoms |
| Undeterred, I discovered that the symptoms of highs | | | | and so it is not surprising that many people suffering |
| were elation, feeling invincible, irritated, being busy, | | | | from mania elect to drink. My great-grandfather, a |
| talking fast, thinking fast, sleeplessness. My 'depression' | | | | typical manic depressive, drank 'to still the mind.' He |
| was supposed to involve being dejected, pessimistic, | | | | was right, to a point. |
| taking no fun or joy out of life, having no energy, having | | | | If you're looking on at someone who may have bipolar |
| poor concentration and/or believing I was bad to the | | | | disorder but is obviously drinking, their symptoms will be |
| core. | | | | exaggerated bipolar symptoms plus the usual |
| But my experience was something else altogether. I | | | | symptoms of alcohol intoxication. Thus the aggression, |
| would get angry over nothing, very wound up and do | | | | abusiveness, abruptness of alcohol toxicity will |
| drastic, frantic things such as try to run away from | | | | complicate the manic symptoms, such as |
| home, or tie a steak to the gate handle (weird, that | | | | sleeplessness, irritability, pressure of speech and flight |
| one!) before trying to punch out my bewildered | | | | of ideas, social extraversion, and impulsiveness, for |
| neighbor. | | | | example. |
| In between these times I would enjoy one to two | | | | If you or a friend sometimes has bouts of weird, |
| month periods where I had tons of energy, plenty of | | | | frightening or over the top behavior, bipolar disorder |
| great ideas. I wrote a short book during this time, and | | | | could provide an explanation. There are some good |
| when I tired of typing I would push back the furniture | | | | screening tests available in the public domain, but to get |
| and dance alone every night. I lost weight. I never | | | | a definite answer a proper medical assessment is |
| complained about these times: after all, I was having a | | | | required. |
| great time, achieving great things, and I'd dropped a | | | | Bipolar disorder is not hard to recognise if you |
| dress size. | | | | remember the symptoms, and that it comes in |
| If it took a long time to be diagnosed, this was why. My | | | | episodes of weeks to months; it may be complicated |
| symptoms were a mix of mania and depression. Most | | | | by alcohol or other drug use; and symptoms of |
| clinicians are looking for a classical picture of either | | | | depression and mania may occur at the same time. |
| elation or melancholia. But mixed states have elements | | | | For you or a friend to get a proper diagnosis, you'll |
| of mania and depression at the same time. They have | | | | need to be organized. Record all the events that you |
| some colorful names such as 'Black Mania' and | | | | think might be due to bipolar disorder, then give that |
| 'Depression with flight of ideas.' | | | | information to a medical practitioner. What happens |
| Mixed states are common, occurring in 40 to 50% of | | | | after that is up to the person with the symptoms. |
| episodes, so in about half of cases, bipolar disorder is | | | | |