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Bipolar Signs

Mania is a term that describes the emotional highs of bipolar disorder. Mania, or a manic episode, is usually characterized by feelings of extreme energy, restlessness, or irritability. In general, symptoms of a manic episode may include: High energy, excessive activity, and/or restlessness Overly good mood Irritability Fast, erratic talking Racing thoughts Inability to concentrate Little need for sleep Feelings of power Poor judgment Reckless spending High sex drive Alcohol or drug abuse Aggression Refusal to admit that there is a problem ------------------------------------------- Bipolar Symptoms: Depression In bipolar disorder, manic episodes alternate with periods of emotional lows, which are known as depressive episodes. Signs of a depressive episode may include: Sadness, anxiety, or a feeling of emptiness Hopelessness Feelings of guilt, feeling worthless, or feeling helpless Lack of interest in activities that were once enjoyable, such as sex Low energy Trouble with concentration or memory Restlessness or irritability Excessive sleeping or insomnia Changes in appetite or weight Pain or other physical symptoms not explained by an illness or injury Thoughts of death, or suicidal thoughts or attempts http://www.everydayhealth.com/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-disorder-symptoms.aspx

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Ways to Help Yourself

-Talk to your doctor about your situation and what you can do in terms of medication and your progress.

-Definitely maintain a daily routine and get at least eight hours of sleep.

-If you take medication for bipolar disorder, stay on the medication.

-Learn about yourself and the signals for when you switch to depression or mania.

-You can also eat different kinds of food to improve your mood or health such as whole grains, berries, dark chocolate, fish, dairy products, vitamin C-rich fruits (bananas, oranges, apples), herbal tea.

-Foods to avoid: Processed foods, alcohol, caffeine.

For more information: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder-in-adults/index.shtml?rf#pub15

http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/foods-beat-anxiety#1

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Calming Foods

1. Berries

2. Whole Grains

3. Fish

4. Dairy Products

5. Apples, Oranges, and Bananas

6. Herbal Tea

7. Dark Chocolate

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Millions of Americans each year face the reality of having and living with some form of mental illness. The month of May is dedicated to bring awareness and knowledge about mental illness and end the stigma that is so strongly associated with it.

Facts and Statistics on Mental Health...

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Depression and Bipolar Support Hotlines

This is a website you can visit to talk to people who are also dealing with bipolar disorder. 

When things get tough and you want to talk to someone anonymously about your emotions, or if you’re worried about a friend whom you suspect might be bipolar, you can call youth helpline Your Life Your Voice at 1-800 448-3000, run by Boys Town for everyone. The hotline is free and staffed 24 hours a day with trained volunteers. If you are feeling suicidal, or worried about a friend who might be suicidal or in crisis, you can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXNpHmw2Ong)

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtPbUv_YIqg)

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Trying to find something to motivate myself and I found this little line from Van Gogh

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10 Signs of Bipolar Disorder

1. Hypomania is a high-energy state in which a person feels exuberant but hasn’t lost his or her grip on reality. "Hypomania can be a pretty enjoyable state, really," Dr. Bearden says. A person’s mood can be elevated, they may have a lot of energy and creativity, and they may experience euphoria. This is the "up" side of bipolar disorder that some people with the condition actually enjoy—while it lasts.

2. Inability to Complete Tasks Having a house full of half-completed projects is a hallmark of bipolar disorder. People who can harness their energy when they are in a hypomanic phase can be really productive. "They can be quite distractible and may start a million things and never finish them," says Don Malone, MD, the director of the Center for Behavioral Health and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Cleveland Clinic, in Ohio.

3. Depression "They have the same problems with energy, appetite, sleep, and focus as others who have 'plain old depression,'" Dr. Malone says. Unfortunately, typical antidepressants alone don't work well in patients who are bipolar. They can even make people cycle more frequently, worsening their condition, or send someone into a break-with-reality episode."Antidepressants can be downright dangerous in people with bipolar because they can send them into mania," he says.

4. Irritability Some people with this condition suffer from "mixed mania," where they experience symptoms of mania and depression at the same time. During this state, they are often extremely irritable. Everyone has bad days, which is one reason this kind of bipolarity is much harder to recognize. "We are all irritable or moody sometimes," Dr. Bearden says. "But in people with bipolar disorder it often becomes so severe that it interferes with their relationships—especially if the person is saying, 'I don’t know why I’m so irritable…I can’t control it.'"

5. Rapid Speech Some people are naturally talkative; we all know a motormouth or Chatty Cathy. But "pressured speech" is one of the most common symptoms of bipolar disorder. This kind of speech occurs when someone is really not in a two-way conversation, Dr. Bearden says. The person will talk rapidly and if you try to speak, they will likely just talk over you. They will also sometimes jump around to different topics. "What’s kind of a red flag is when it is atypical for the person to talk like this," doing it only when they are in a manic cycle but not at other times, she says.

6. Trouble at Work People with this disorder often have difficulty in the workplace because so many of their symptoms can interfere with their ability to show up for work, do their job, and interact productively with others. In addition to having problems completing tasks, they may have difficulty sleeping, irritability, and an inflated ego during a manic phase, and depression at other times, which causes excessive sleeping and additional mood problems. A lot of the workplace problems can be interpersonal ones, Dr. Malone says.

7. Alcohol or Drug Abuse About 50% of people with bipolar disorder also have a substance abuse problem, particularly alcohol use, Dr. Bearden says. Many people will drink when they are in a manic phase to slow themselves down, and use alcohol to improve their mood when they are depressed.

8. Erratic behavior When they are in a manic phase, people with bipolar disorder can have an inflated self-esteem. "They feel grandiose and don't consider consequences; everything sounds good to them," Dr. Malone says. Two of the most common types of behavior that can result from this are spending sprees and unusual sexual behavior. "I have had a number of patients who have had affairs who never would have done that if they weren't in a manic episode…during this episode they exhibited behavior that is not consistent with what they would do normally," he says.

9. Sleeping Problems People with this condition often have sleep problems. During a depression phase, they may sleep too much, and feel tired all the time. During a manic phase, they may not sleep enough—but still never feel tired. Even with just a few hours of sleep each night, they may feel great and have lots of energy. Dr. Bearden says staying on a regular sleep schedule is one of the first things she recommends for bipolar patients.

10. Flight of Ideas This symptom may be something that is hard to recognize, but it occurs frequently when someone is in a manic phase. People feel like their mind is racing and that they can't control or slow down their thoughts. This flight of ideas sometimes occurs with pressured speech. People with bipolar may not recognize or admit that their mind is racing out of control, says Dr. Bearden.

Health.com

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today my anthro professor said something kindof really beautiful:

“you all have a little bit of ‘I want to save the world’ in you, that’s why you’re here, in college. I want you to know that it’s okay if you only save one person, and it’s okay if that person is you”

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It’s no secret that living with bipolar disorder can be tough. Even with medications and psychotherapy, symptoms don’t always dissipate. So just how do you live a full and happy life despite this chronic condition? The key lies in the practice of a simple concept called mindfulness. Mindfulness...

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4 Steps to Finding Joy and Happiness in Your Bipolar Life - Huffington Post

See on Scoop.it - ❧Bipolar Disorder & Fibromyalgia❧

This may sound confusing, but it’s really quite simple. We are not our symptoms. So why should we let them define us? Mindfulness gives us the power to view these symptoms as an observer rather than an active participant.

See on huffingtonpost.com

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8 important facts about life

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The causes of bipolar disorder

The cause of bipolar disorder is not entirely known. Genetic, neurochemical and environmental factors probably interact at many levels to play a role in the onset and progression of bipolar disorder. The current thinking is that this is a predominantly biological disorder that occurs in a specific part of the brain and is due to a malfunction of the neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain). As a biological disorder, it may lie dormant and be activated spontaneously or it may be triggered by stressors in life. (http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-causes-of-bipolar-disorder-manic-depression/912/)

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How many times have people used a pen or paintbrush because they couldn’t pull the trigger?

Virginia Woolf, Selected Essays (via battle-with-bipolar)

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requested by beautyistheend

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Hey guys. I am finally after 2 years making my promised next detailed video about my experience with bipolar disorder where I will discuss and explain my experience and hospitalisation with hypomania/mania when I was 15. I will be making the video on Friday 22nd May and will welcome any questions or comments down below that I can touch on and add to my video and answer for you! :) https://www.youtube.com/user/battlewithbipolar