Do You Have a Bipolar Personality?

Discover if Bipolar is a Problem in Your Life

In order to be classified as having a bipolar personality, one must be diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. It’s referred to as the “one minute your happy, the next your sad” disorder. However, in order to get a full understanding of Bipolar, I will walk you through the detailed symptoms.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), bipolar symptoms are as follows…

A person must experience one or more of these “Manic” Episodes:

A manic episode includes:

1. Lasts for at least 1 week.
2. 3 or more of these symptoms:
• Increase of self-esteem.
• Decreased need for sleep.
• More talkative than usual.
• Racing thoughts.
• Easily distracted.
• Increase in goal seeking behavior.
• More time invested into pleasurable activities that can cause harm such as gambling, sex, reckless driving, etc. (i.e., impulsive behavior-"doing before thinking")
3. This manic behavior interferes with work and social related activities.

Or a mixed episode which includes:

• A person with a mixed episode will experience a manic episode and a depressive episode that lasts typically for a one week period.
• The mixed episode is severe enough to interfere with work and social related activities.

When one thinks of bipolar personality, one thinks about the sudden mood changes of “being happy then being sad.” However, there is much more to it than that.

Bipolar Disorder interferes with your work and social activities; messes with your sleep and eating patterns; causes extreme mood changes; and causes you to make impulsive decisions. Of course, I don’t believe in blaming your choices on a disorder, but this is just a guideline for understanding this illness.

Resource:

American Psychiatric Association (APA), 2000. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. Washington, D.C., American Psychiatric Association.

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