A 20-year-old member asked:
how do you know if your bipolar?
13 doctor answers • 20 doctors weighed in

Dr. Ryan Stantonanswered
Emergency Medicine 18 years experience
Psychiatrist: You need a thorough evaluation by a psychiatrist for the diagnosis and to determine the appropriate treatment strategies that will typical utilize a combination of counseling and medications.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. William Holmesanswered
Child Psychiatry 34 years experience
Evaluation Needed: The diagnosis of bipolar disorder depends on the presence of a variety of signs and other characteristics. These include sudden and significant mood swings which involved both symptoms of depression as well as periods of more extreme hyperactivity, impulsivity, and risky behavior. This diagnosis is best made through your interaction with a mental health professional.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Leonard Ladoanswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Bipolar do I have?: One key component is the instability of your mood. You will have moments of increased productivity, needing little sleep, often losing your temper feeling irritable and can engage in high risk behavior manifested by speeding tickets, spending and buying more you can afford. This is followed by episodes of no energy, loss of motivation, pessimism with hopelessness and thoughts about topics of death.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. John Moranvilleanswered
Psychiatry 36 years experience
Mania and depression: Mania is the most distinctive feature of bipolar. Most people also have depressive episodes. Mania is characterized by impulsivity and decreased need for sleep and often increased irritability. Depression leads to decreased interest, motivation, and energy along with feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and that life is not worth living or suicide. It is important to get treatment.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Alan Alianswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Bipolar: Periods of agitation, grandiosity and lack of sleep, alternating with periods of sadness & lack of energy and appetite changes, basically highs & lows.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Psychiatric eval: Mania or hypomania: aggression, agitation, v judgment ; impulse control, distractability, rapid thoughts ; speech, ^ libido, v sleep, spending sprees, high risk behaviors, elation, ^ physical activity or psychosis.
When depressed 1 may have low mood, v energy level, v concentration, amotivation, ^ or v sleeping, ^ or v in appetite, poor self esteem, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Heidi Fowler commented
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Provided original answer
lack of joy, irritability, impaired functioning, guilt & suicidal thoughts or psychosis.
Jan 3, 2014

Dr. Alan Alianswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Bipolar: Moods swing to extremes, between episodes of depression lasting around few weeks & phases of mania lasting few weeks each. Milder forms are called bipolar type 2 or cyclothymia, more severe forms are accompanied with psychotic symptoms such as hearing voices or seeing things that are not there. Your mental health counselor can assess & give more definite diagnosis.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Psychiatric eval: Can lead to definitive diagnosis. When a person is manic or hypomanic they may exhibit aggression, agitation, lack of judgment ; impulse control, distractability, rapid thoughts ; speech, ^ libido, v sleep, spending sprees, high risk behaviors, elation, ^ physical activity ; even psychosis.
When depressed one may experience low mood, v energy level, v concentration, amotivation, ^ or v sleeping, .
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Heidi Fowler commented
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Provided original answer
change in appetite, poor self esteem, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, lack of joy, irritability, impaired functioning, guilt & even suicidal thoughts or psychosis.
Jan 2, 2014

Dr. Alan Alianswered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Bipolar: Manic depression is a mood disorder that presents with extreme highs & lows, with at least few weeks of manic phases (abnormally elevated mood & energy level) alternating with few or more weeks of depressed phases (sad, guilty, hopeless/helpless, changes in sleep/appetite/energy level). Any phase can be severe enough to experience delusions or hallucinations.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Check to see if you: Have sx's. If yes, obtain psychiatric evaluation. When a person is manic or hypomanic they may exhibit aggression, agitation, lack of judgment ; impulse control, distractability, rapid thoughts ; speech, ^ libido, v sleep, spending sprees, high risk behaviors, elation, ^ physical activity ; even psychosis.
When depressed one may experience low mood, v energy level, v concentration, amotivation, .
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Heidi Fowler commented
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Provided original answer
^ or v sleeping, change in appetite, poor self esteem, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, lack of joy, irritability, impaired functioning, guilt & even suicidal thoughts or psychosis.
Jan 2, 2014

Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Psychiatric Eval.: Mania or hypomania: 1 may show aggression, agitation, v judgment ; impulse control, distractability, rapid thoughts ; speech, ^ libido, v sleep, spending sprees, high risk behaviors, elation, ^ physical activity or psychosis.
When depressed 1 may have low mood, v energy level, v concentration, amotivation, ^ or v sleeping, ^ or v in appetite, poor self esteem, feelings of hopelessness or helpless.
4.5k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Get eval: When a person is manic or hypomanic they may exhibit aggression, agitation, lack of judgment & impulse control,distractability, rapid thoughts & speech, ^ libido, V sleep, spending sprees, high risk behaviors, elation, ^ physical activity & even psychosis.
When depressed one may experience low mood, v energy level, v concentration, amotivation, ^ or v sleeping, change in appetite, poor self est
2.1k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Andrew Berryanswered
Clinical Psychology 14 years experience
Bipolar: Bipolar I and bipolar II, In the first, manic phases are more severe, and in the second, depressive phases are more severe. There is also cyclothymia which is a low grade version of bipolar disorder in general, where mood swings are not as severe in either direction, manic or depressive. No one knows how it develops, other than a mystery of genetic confluence.
26 viewsAnswered Nov 14, 2020Merged
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Similar questions
A 18-year-old member asked:
How do know if you have bipolar disorder?
8 doctor answers • 24 doctors weighed in

Dr. Brian Flyeranswered
Internal Medicine 40 years experience
Bipolar: As opposed to typical depression, bipolar patients have manic periods where they have less need for sleep, have grandiose ideas, may shop impulsively, and have racing thoughts like finishing others' sentences.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
How will I know if i'm bipolar?
4 doctor answers • 15 doctors weighed in

Dr. Muhammad Muniranswered
Psychiatry 26 years experience
Bipolar disorder: The best way to get the right diagnosis and treatment will be to meet with a psychiatrist for an evaluation. Just mood changes and been irritable angry does not mean bipolar it can also happen with depression and anxiety disorders.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
How to know if i'm really bipolar?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Robert Stewartanswered
Clinical Psychology 44 years experience
To REALLY know: If you have bipolar disorder, talk to a psychiatrist or psychologist. A diagnosis requires a good history and evaluation of your symptoms.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Can I have bipolar disorder, how can I know?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
The best way to know: Is via a psychiatric evaluation. There may be symptoms of depression, mania ; hypomania. Mania or hypomania: 1 may show aggression, agitation, v judgment ; impulse control, distractability, rapid thoughts ; speech, ^ libido, v sleep, spending sprees, high risk behaviors, elation, ^ physical activity or psychosis.
When depressed 1 may have low mood, v energy level, v concentration, amotivation, .
4.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Heidi Fowler commented
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Provided original answer
^ or v sleeping, ^ or v in appetite, poor self esteem, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, lack of joy, irritability, impaired functioning, guilt & suicidal thoughts or psychosis.
Feb 4, 2014
Trinidad and Tobago
A 20-year-old female asked:
How would you know if you'r bipolar?
3 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Martin Morellanswered
Rheumatology 29 years experience
When: There are mood swings of depression and then mania( hyperactivity) in mood.
4.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Nov 14, 2020
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