We all know what mood swings are. Though this is not true, many people attribute mood swings to a girl having their “time of the month” or someone just “mentally unstable.” Mood swings are often tough to deal with since many people experiencing mood swings do not realize it until after a while when they have already done or said things to other people they regret.
There is also another thing that many people attribute to mood swings – bipolar disorder. Some rude people would often use “bipolar” to insult others who frequently have mood swings. But is being bipolar just the same as mood swings? Are there things we don’t fully understand about bipolar disorder?
Here are a few misconceptions about bipolar disorder:
1. Bipolar is rare
This is not true since it affects over 2 million adults in the United States alone. This means that one in five Americans have bipolar disorder. This means that bipolar is not a rare mental disorder; instead, it is more common than other mental disorders.
2. Bipolar disorder is just mood swings.
Bipolar disorder is just mood swings. They are very different from mood swings experienced by many. Bipolar disorder is more extreme and has different highs and lows from just mood swings.
Usually, people with bipolar disorders feel times of high and lows. The highs may cause a person to be thrilled and productive, but the lows can also cause depressive episodes. Most of the time, these erratic changes can affect sleep, energy, judgment, behavior, and ability to act and think clearly.
3. Books like Bipolar Chronicles: From Crazed to Content by Diana are only for people with bipolar disorder.
Suppose you know someone who has bipolar disorder and wants to understand what they are going through. In that case, you may want to check out books like Bipolar Chronicles: From Crazed to Content by Diana Grippo that could help you find out what they may be going through and how to help them out in the best way possible. Remember that every story and case is unique, so make sure to embrace your family or friend’s individuality.
4. People who are bipolar have depression.
Though people with bipolar disorder experience depressive episodes when they crash, they typically do not have depression. This is because depression is unipolar, which means depression is always a “low” compared to bipolar, a mixture of both “ups and downs.”
5. Bipolar disorder is fixed.
Bipolar disorder differs from person to person. However, many people don’t know that bipolar is more of an umbrella term and that there are many types of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar I is when a person has hallucinations or delusions. Usually, they would have one or more depressive episodes and more manic episodes. Bipolar II has depressive episodes and at least one hypomanic episode. Cyclothymic disorders are numerous periods of hypomanic and depressive symptoms for at least two years in adults. Still, they do not meet the requirements to be called hypomanic or depressive episodes.
6. Mania and Hypomania are the same.
Mania is more severe than hypomania. Mania is a persistently elevated or irritable mood period that lasts at least one week. Mania can be so severe that it causes people to be delusional and cause problems when doing daily activities and socializing with others.
7. Bipolar disorder can be managed through diet and exercise.
Bipolar disorder does not have a cure. It usually affects the person for the rest of their life but needs medication and talk therapy to be manageable. Though diet and exercise may help, they cannot completely replace medication, and it can be accompanied by avoiding stress, having an adequate sleep, and eating healthy.
8. Bipolar patients lose creativity when treated.
Many people believe getting treated causes people to lose their creativity since they need their mania to continue being creative. Many bipolar patients who thrive on their creativity, like authors, designers, painters, and artists, actually refuse treatment because they fear losing their creativity when they get treatment.
However, this is not true. Most people who get treated can be just as productive as before. Others say that they can work better after treatment since they can focus better on their work.
9. Mania or hypomania is good.
Mania may seem like a good thing at first. However, manic episodes can be very impulsive and cause many issues later. For example, the same people in manic episodes who can be very productive sometimes can also go on massive shopping sprees and spread so much. They can be overly anxious or start randomly snapping at other people too.
