If you have someone who has bipolar disorder, or you have a loved one with it, there are certain myths you may believe that could be harmful.
In this post, we will look at some common myths and explain why they are not true.
Bipolar Disorder and Mood Swings Are Alike
Someone who has a few mood swings here and there may call themselves bipolar. However, this is not usually the case.
Everyone has mood swings. They are a part of being human. However, bipolar episodes tend to be much more extreme.
Someone who has bipolar disorder may feel extreme lows and highs, and they can last for quite a while. It’s different from feeling sad sometimes and being in a good mood other times.
Bipolar is Just One Disorder
Nope. You may be surprised to learn that bipolar disorder is a spectrum. There are a few disorders under the umbrella. These include:
Bipolar I
A person with Bipolar I will have manic and depressive episodes, and there may be psychotic symptoms as well. For example, bipolar people may hallucinate or feel delusional.
Bipolar II
Bipolar II is when someone has mainly depressive episodes, but also hypomanic episodes. Hypomania is different from regular mania due to it being less severe.
Cyclothymic
Someone who has this will have hypomanic and depressive episodes, and it must occur for at least 2 years or 1 year for a kid or a teen.
Other Disorders
Bipolar disorder also has other types, many of which have yet to be classified. It’s important for a person with bipolar disorder to realize that they may have symptoms that may not fit the bill necessarily, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have bipolar disorder.
Mania is a Good Thing
Someone who isn’t too familiar with bipolar disorder may believe that mania is good, while depression is bad. They may imagine a manic person being productive and energetic and being friendly as well.
However, this is not always the case. Mania can be even more harmful than depression in some cases.
Yes, you heard us right. For example, someone who is manic may become easily irritable. They may snap on someone and regret it later.
A manic person may have thoughts that are hard to control, which can be terrifying if you have an episode like that.
Someone with mania may also have a spending problem. They can go on a spending spree and then regret it later. Mania spending is a little more than just impulse buying here and there.
There is No Middle Ground
This is another myth. When you hear about bipolar disorder, it may be easy to assume that everyone who has it is either depressed or manic.
However, there are people who can have stable moods, or euthymia, as well.
Also, some patients may have a combination of mania and depression.
As we said before, bipolar disorder can be a spectrum, and that’s important to know.
Do You Have It?
Learning about the large amounts of information that is bipolar disorder can be a challenge. If you are unsure if you have it, taking a test can help you get the diagnosis you need.
Mind Diagnostics can help you diagnose bipolar disorder and other mental health issues. Simply visit them, take their tests, and then this can help you determine if you have bipolar disorder or some other kind of disorder, here: https://www.mind-diagnostics.org/bipolar_disorder-test/
Bipolar disorder is terrifying and not something to romanticize. By educating yourself about it, you can help yourself and others around you who may have it.
