Normal Human Behavior |
Bipolar symptoms - Mania |
Feeling good about yourself |
Thinking extremely highly of yourself and your importance |
Occasional sleeplessness |
Decreased need for sleep |
Good conversationalist |
Can’t seem to stop talking |
People sometimes bother you |
You are intolerant of others much of the time |
Sometimes going off on a tangent |
Flight of ideas; your thoughts race |
Sometimes have difficulty paying attention |
Extreme distractibility |
A burst of energy where you accomplish some of what you want/need to accomplish |
A seemingly infinite amount of energy, often to the point of being unable/unwilling to stop |
An occasional splurge |
Over-involvement in activities that are/could be dangerous or destructive |
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Normal Human Behavior |
Bipolar Symptoms - Depression |
Feeling a bit “down” |
Overwhelming feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness |
Turned off at times |
Diminished interest in all activities much/most of the time |
Slight weight and appetite fluctuation |
Marked increase or decrease in appetite |
Tired at times |
Ongoing fatigue |
Upset with yourself at times |
Feelings of worthlessness, unfounded guilt |
Slight distractibility |
Inability to think, concentrate, make decisions |
Slightly discouraged |
Recurrent thoughts of death with and suicide and how to accomplish it |
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If you find you have symptoms of bipolarity, therapy and a visit to a medical doctor can help you to stabilize and become productive (American Psychological Association, 2013) |