Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression. It causes major mood swings, varying from depression to manic (elevated) mood. The Journal of the American Medical Association says the following symptoms may be a sign of bipolar disorder:

Manic phase:

• Unusually elevated mood.
• Anger or irritability.
• Speaking and thinking quickly.
• Quickly jumping from topic to topic.
• Engaging in high-risk behaviors and making poor choices.
• Not feeling the need to sleep much.

Depressive phase:

• Feeling very sad and down, without interest in things you once enjoyed.
• Feeling anxious, guilty, and hopeless or crying.
• Abrupt changes in your weight.
• Abusing drugs.
• Having thoughts about suicide.