Am I Bipolar? - this is one perplexing question a person, constantly experiencing dramatic mood swings in each and every single day of his life, would like to answer. In a year, one percent of Americans with ages 18 and above suffer a manic-depressive illness called Bipolar Disorder. How does one really know if he or she suffers from Bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder, which is formerly called manic-depression, is a diagnosed psychiatric disorder that causes abnormal shifts in a person’s everyday mood, liveliness, and capability to perform. The person experiencing such illness may feel very much ecstatic, then extremely bad-tempered an hour after and then back again to feeling overly ecstatic with a short span of normal mood

in between both contrary tempers. Am I Bipolar if get mood swings? The answer is no. Since a condition such as Bipolar Disorder is seemingly different from a person experiencing the usual mood swings because in Bipolar Disorder, the symptoms are evidently severe. If such brain disorder is left untreated, it may lead to effects such as dreadful behaviors, inadequate performance in one s job/studies or worst; it may even lead to suicide.

World renowned painter, Vincent Van Gogh, who s Bipolar Disorder mysteriously made him even more creative; Hollywood actor/comedian, Ben Stiller, who was open to the public about his psychiatric condition; Action star Jean-Claude Van Damme, whose Bipolar Disorder led him to a cocaine addiction and

accusations of spousal abuse and author/actor Spalding Gray, whose suicidal death on the East River was allegedly caused by his dreadful psychiatric condition. The previously mentioned public figures are just some of the popular personalities who once asked the question, Am I Bipolar? Unfortunately, the answer to their question was yes . Bipolar Disorder may have numerous unpleasant effects but through the appropriate treatment, people inflicted with such disease may lead fruitful and normal lives.

Bipolar Disorder is characterized by a series of highs and lows in one s mood. These highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression. Try to check if the following statements describe your day to day mental state to aid

you in answering the question, Am I Bipolar? :

Indications of manic episodes

I m a very talkative person and I can utter a lot of words in a single minute.
I am an extremely energetic person.
I m a compulsive shopper.
I don t like to sleep.
Family and friends have been telling me that I ve been acting strange lately. I m becoming a war freak, a loud talker and a very angry person.
I feel sluggish most of the time.
I want to have sex all the time.
I can t concentrate on something for a long period

of time.
I feel like I m the king of the world and I can do whatever I wish to do.

Indications of depression episodes

I don t get pleasure doing the things that I ve always loved to do.
I have trouble sleeping at night.
Whenever food is served on the table, I don t feel like eating.
I have many aches and pains from the past that just won t go away.
I lack energy when it comes to having sex.
I lack focus.
I m a very absentminded person.
Most of the time, I feel like eating something.

People and things around me make me angry.
I can t figure out why I feel disappointed and scared.
I always feel gloomy.
I d rather be alone than talk to people.
It s hard for me to get out of bed.
I feel as if my existence on earth has no meaning and nothing desirable is going to happen to me.
I hate myself.
I ve always thought about killing myself and the ways on how to do so.

Indications of Bipolar Disorder

The highs and lows in my mood alternately repeat as the day progresses.
My mood

swings cause me household and job problems.

If most or all of these statements best describes your everyday mood in the duration of one week or more, a checkup with your psychologist might be a good idea since there s a big probability that you might be suffering a Bipolar Disorder. Besides, early detection and consistent treatment is the best way to win the battle against this lifelong illness.

Are you or a loved one suffering from Bipolar Disorder? Visit http://bipolar-symptom.info to learn more about the different symptoms of bipolar disorder.