When you draw inspiration from celebrities in all the seemingly good aspects of life - fashion, styling, grooming, then you should also try to draw some amount of motivation from their real lives as well. Things may not be as rosy as it appears in the movies. A hero, playing a positive role, may have darker aspects of life in reality. Take the example of the handsome hero, Jean-Claude Van Damme. His kickboxing and ways of dealing with the villains may have appealed to you a lot, but in real life, people close to him may not have had experienced a happy life with him. He had bipolar disorder and was known for his cocaine addiction and spousal abuse. He married four times. This indicates that bipolar disorder is definitely not something that should be ignored.
Bipolar disorder, also known by its older name "manic depression," is a serious mental disorder that responds to treatment with both medication and psychotherapy. Each person suffering from bipolar disorder is not necessarily having the same symptoms. The disorder also varies in severity from one individual to the other. However, there are a few symptoms which may indicate that an individual is suffering from bipolar disorder. The subtle signs are listed below:
- Hypomania/Great Mood: This is the state of high energy. Experts describe this is as a very enjoyable state. A person's mood can be elevated, they may have a lot of energy and creativity and they may experience euphoria.
- Erratic Behavior: When people are in the maniac phase, they may often have inflated self esteems. They feel grandiose and don't consider consequences; everything sounds good to them. This gets expressed through most common behaviors like spending spree and unusual sexual behavior.
- Unusual Irritability: Irritability is common in normal human beings too. But irritability in a person suffering from bipolar disorder combines the symptoms of mania and depression at the same time. This interferes with personal relationships especially if the person is not able to control it and or doesn't know why it is happening.
- Inability to Complete Tasks: This is the hallmark of bipolar symptoms. Often people in this phase jump from task to task. They keep planning big things, unrealistic goals or projects on their minds. They are distracted and may try to do many things at one time but will not be able to finish them.
- Depression: Experts suggest that people with bipolar disorder have problems with energy, appetite, sleep and focus in comparison to others who have plain old depression. They tend to feel worried over a long period of time. A feeling of loneliness and loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, including sex, sets in.
- Rapid Speech: "Pressured speech" is one of the most common symptoms of bipolar disorder. The person talks rapidly and when you try to present your own views, he may try to over talk you. He may suddenly jump from one topic to the other. However he will do this only when he is in the maniac phase.
- Alcohol or Drug Abuse: A study from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) supports previous reports that adolescents with bipolar disorder are at an increased risk for smoking and substance abuse. About 50 percent of people with bipolar disorder also have a substance abuse problem, particularly with alcohol. Some researchers suggest that substance abuse occurs when the disorder becomes vulnerable to an episode.
- Sleep Problems: Sleeplessness is very common in bipolar disorder. During a depression phase, they may sleep too much and feel tired all the time. During a manic phase, they may not sleep enough but will still never feel tired. They may be restless at times.
- Trouble at Work: In addition to sleeping problems and the above mentioned symptoms, they may face problems at workplace. Here, you may relate this to loss of productivity. Poor judgment is also one of the symptoms due to which a person with bipolar disorder may find difficulty in working.
- Mood Swings and Inappropriate Social Behavior: Constant changes in their moods are often seen. They may be extremely happy at one point of the day and by evening or night they may suddenly feel depressed. Behaving impulsively and taking part in a lot of pleasurable, high-risk behaviors such as spending sprees, impulsive sex and impulsive business investments. Also, thinking of death and suicide is another common symptom in people with bipolar disorder.
People close to a person suffering from bipolar disorder may find it hard to continue staying with him or keeping any relationship with him. His behaviors may seem to be intolerable for them. But after all, we are human beings who search for love and attention continuously. And people with this disorder also seek our support and empathy. Yes! It is empathy rather than sympathy which can go a long way to ensure a successful rehab process.
