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Features of a Depressive Episode
Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feeling helpless, guilty, or worthless
Hopeless or pessimistic feelings
Loss of pleasure in usual activities
Decreased energy
Loss of memory or concentration
Irritability or restlessness
Sleep disturbances
Loss of or increase in appetite
Persistent thoughts of death
Features of a Manic Episode
Extreme irritability & distractibility
Excessive "high" or euphoric feelings
Sustained periods of unusual, even bizarre, behavior with significant risk-taking
Increased energy, activity, rapid talking & thinking, agitation
Decreased sleep
Unrealistic belief in one's own abilities
Poor judgment
Increased sex drive
Substance abuse
Provocative or obnoxious behavior
Denial of problem
Factors Preventing Early Detection of Bi-polar Disorder
An early sign of manic-depressive illness may be hypomania--a state in which the person shows a high level of energy, excessive moodiness or irritability, and impulsive or reckless behavior. Hypomania may feel good to the person who experiences it. Thus, even when family and friends learn to recognize the mood swings, the individual often will deny that anything is wrong. In its early stages, bipolar disorder may masquerade as a problem other than mental illness. For example, it may first appear as alcohol or drug abuse, or poor school or work performance. If left untreated, bipolar disorder tends to worsen, and the person experiences episodes of full-fledged mania and clinical depression.
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