Bipolar Disorder - How it may feel

The full text including the links is on my website at http://simplewithmarthalisa.com/faqbipolar.html
This text contains some simple revisions based on comments.  Thanks!

I would appreciate reviews/suggestions on the quality of the writing of this work.  I have expanded it from an answer I gave on Yahoo Answers.



Bipolar Disorder
Expanded from one of Martha-Lisa's Yahoo Answers



Bipolar Disorder is a complex neuro-biological brain disorder. As it is currently defined in the DSM-IV-TR, there are two basic types, Bipolar Disorder I and Bipolar Disorder II plus Cyclothymia and Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Atypical Bipolar Disorder). More people with Bipolar Disorder will complete suicide (die) than any other mental disorder. The single defining characteristic of bipolar disorder is mania or the lessor form of mania called hypomania. I will try to describe what mania might feel like if you had. Then I will give you some more resources to learn about the signs and symptoms.

Classic mania feels very good. You experience an increase in energy, often needing less sleep. You feel a sense of high self-esteem and self-worth. You feel 100% confident in all decisions no matter what any one else thinks. You feel like you can think more clearly, more creatively and faster than the mere mortals around you. Your ideas are better than theirs as well. People may be speaking very slowly and complain that you are speaking too fast. Others may not be able to follow your brilliant train of thought. You may find you have artistic talent you never knew you had. Music, art, poetry and so forth may allcome flowing out of you. You may have some excellent ideas for business ventures and want to act on them immedielty. You may find you have suddenly come up with the solution to some or all of the world's problems. You feel more daring and enjoy taking more chances than you would normally. It might enter your head that now is a great time to take a cross-country trip. You find you want to buy anything that pleases you and you don't worry about details like whether you have money or not.

Mania does not always feel good. You may feel like everyone is out to get you, pushing your buttons. Everyone seems to provoke you and your anger is very justified. You may find yourself screaming at people for the slightest provocation or even getting into physical fights. You may start to be afraid that people are talking about you behind your back and plotting to get you. They might be trying to hospitalize you when the problem is them pushing your buttons and you do not feel you are ill. They might be trying to break up all your relationships with family and friends. The government might be after you. Mania can feel very frightening.

Hypomania feels like an extodinarily good mood. Everything is going your way. You are creative and on top of the world but within days the bubble has burst and you find that you spent too much money or lost a good friend. Hypomania can feel irritable and edgy. People complain that they feel they are walking on eggshells around you but it is them who are on yournerves. Hypomania often dissolves into depression.

With Cyclothymia you are often told that you are a moody, brooding person. You seem to have energetic days interspersed with down, blackdays.
When you are depressed, in a bad manic mood, or when you feel both manic and depressed at the same time, you will think that you don't want to live any more. You might start thinking about ways to kill yourself. You might start getting together the things necessary to carry out a suicide plan. You might attempt suicide. You may kill yourself.

I hope describing the symptoms from this point of view is just as or more helpful than listing the signs and symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. I will give you lots of links where you can read all about it. Good Luck.