Is bipolar person normal?

Dr. Nelson gave an encouraging picture of what living with bipolar disorder can be like: Of course, there is no “normal,” per se, but you can live with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, if you manage your health, follow a healthy regimen that controls symptoms and take care of yourself.


Are people with bipolar disorder happy?

People with bipolar disorder experience shifts in mood. They have depressive episodes with low mood and low energy and manic or hypomanic episodes with elevated mood and high energy.

Is bipolar very common?

Bipolar disorder is fairly common, and 1 in every 100 people will be diagnosed with it at some point in their life. Bipolar disorder can occur at any age, although it often develops between the ages of 15 and 19 and rarely develops after 40.


Do people with bipolar live long?

The life expectancy for someone with bipolar disorder is approximately 67 years old. A 2021 study researched the effect of bipolar disorder on longevity and found that: risk of death is 2.6 times greater than the general population. the average life span is between 8–12 years shorter than the general population.

How does a bipolar person act?

Bipolar disorder can cause your mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. Manic symptoms can include increased energy, excitement, impulsive behaviour, and agitation. Depressive symptoms can include lack of energy, feeling worthless, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.


What is bipolar disorder?



How does a bipolar person feel?

People with bipolar experience both episodes of severe depression and episodes of mania – overwhelming joy, excitement or happiness, huge energy, a reduced need for sleep, and reduced inhibitions. The experience of bipolar is uniquely personal. No two people have exactly the same experience.

What age does bipolar start?

Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it's diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s. Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms may vary over time.

Why does bipolar happen?

Chemical imbalance in the brain

Bipolar disorder is widely believed to be the result of chemical imbalances in the brain. The chemicals responsible for controlling the brain's functions are called neurotransmitters, and include noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine.


Can bipolar people work?

Can People with Bipolar Disorder Work? People with bipolar disorder can work, but they may face challenges. Many mental health conditions can make it difficult for a person to carry out day-to-day responsibilities, especially in the workplace.

Do bipolar people ever recover?

Bipolar disorder is not curable, but there are many treatments and strategies that a person can use to manage their symptoms. Without treatment, bipolar disorder may cause unusual mood episodes. People with the condition may alternate between high periods, called manic episodes, and low periods, or depressive episodes.

Does bipolar go away with age?

“Untreated bipolar disorder can worsen with age, with both the frequency of mood episodes and their duration,” says Thomas Scary, MD, MA, staff psychiatrist, Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates in Philadelphia. “This is true even with treatment, but to a lesser extent.”


Is bipolar born or developed?

Bipolar disorder is frequently inherited, with genetic factors accounting for approximately 80% of the cause of the condition. Bipolar disorder is the most likely psychiatric disorder to be passed down from family. If one parent has bipolar disorder, there's a 10% chance that their child will develop the illness.

Is bipolar stressful?

People with bipolar disorder are more prone to stress than the average person; they have more difficulty adjusting to and recovering from stressors. Stress can trigger symptoms and relapses, as I mentioned in a previous post on relapse prevention.

Is bipolar hard to live with?

People living with or caring for someone with bipolar disorder can have a tough time. During episodes of illness, the personalities of people with bipolar disorder may change, and they may become abusive or even violent. Sometimes social workers and the police may become involved.


Can bipolar get married?

If you spouse fully accepts the diagnosis and resolves to get treatment, you could begin working together and make the marriage stronger than ever. Many people with bipolar disorder have happy, successful marriages.

How can a bipolar person live a good life?

How to Live a Happier Life With Bipolar Disorder
  1. Get to Know Your Condition. ...
  2. Keep a Healthy Routine. ...
  3. Maintain a stable sleep pattern. ...
  4. Learn relaxation techniques. ...
  5. Avoid alcohol and drugs. ...
  6. Build a Strong Support Network. ...
  7. Take Responsibility for Your Treatment and Seek Professional Help.


What jobs are good for bipolar?

Best jobs for people with bipolar disorder
  • librarian or library assistant.
  • archivist.
  • museum or gallery curator.
  • gardener or landscaper.
  • yoga or meditation teacher.
  • massage or spa therapist.
  • researcher.
  • tutor.


Is bipolar disorder taken seriously?

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness. People who have it go through unusual mood changes. They go from very happy, "up," and active to very sad and hopeless, "down," and inactive, and then back again. They often have normal moods in between.

Do bipolar people hold jobs?

These symptoms can make it challenging to work, especially if they're affecting your day-to-day functioning. A 2022 review found that people with moderate to severe symptoms of bipolar disorder were less likely than those with mild symptoms to be employed.

Are you born bipolar?

Genes. Bipolar disorder often runs in families, and research suggests this is mostly explained by heredity—people with certain genes are more likely to develop bipolar disorder than others. Many genes are involved, and no one gene can cause the disorder. But genes are not the only factor.


How can bipolar be cured?

Most people with bipolar disorder can be treated using a combination of different treatments. These can include 1 or more of the following: medicine to prevent episodes of mania and depression – these are known as mood stabilisers, and you take them every day on a long-term basis.

Who is more likely to get bipolar?

Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally, as well as all races, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic classes. Although men and women appear to be equally affected by bipolar disorder, rapid cycling is seen more often in women. Women also tend to experience more depressive and mixed state episodes than do men.

What comes first in bipolar?

The illness usually starts with depression rather than mania, so even when mania is detected accurately, the onset of bipolar disorder may be missed.


How do they test for bipolar disorder?

To diagnose bipolar disorder, a doctor performs a physical exam, asks about your symptoms, and recommends blood testing to determine if another condition, such as hypothyroidism, is causing your symptoms. If the doctor does not find an underlying cause of your symptoms, he or she performs a psychological evaluation.

What happens if you have bipolar disorder?

In bipolar disorder, the dramatic episodes of high and low moods do not follow a set pattern. Someone may feel the same mood state (depressed or manic) several times before switching to the opposite mood. These episodes can happen over a period of weeks, months, and sometimes even years.