Dee was diagnosed as bipolar 1 four years ago. Due to moving during that time, it’s been hard for her to get consistent medical care for her condition, and no medication regime seems to be foolproof. As anyone who has seen someone in a manic state knows, bipolar one can be a destructive illness.
Bipolar one disorder (sometimes denoted as “bipolar i”) is the most serious type of manic depression. In a nutshell, it applies to people who have experienced at least one true manic episode.
Other types of bipolar such as bipolar two, cyclothymia and schizoaffective disorder, are typically applied to people who exhibit hypomania, but not mania. This is the key distinction.
Mania is a full-blown psychotic state in which the person goes for extended periods of time with little sleep, behaves erratically, engages in risky behaviour.
They may also have delusions of grandeur. Dee, for example, stood on the front lawn, shaking from the nervous energy that comes from mania and from several days of sleep deprivation, and told me I would be sorry for doubting her because she was going to be famous, although she had no idea what she was going to be famous for.
Theres a common misconception that mania is simply a time when someone is very happy, perhaps too happy. This is not the case at all. Someone who is manic has impaired judgement, is extremely impulsive, and is not capable of normal functioning. They are usuallay a danger to themselves and others. They can also have episodes of bipolar rage, which can be a terrifying experience for those around them, and can result in real physical harm. It’s impossible to reason with someone who is in this mental state. The best thing to do is to manage the situation without anyone getting hurt until the mania has passed.
Bipolar one is usually associated not only with mania but also with episodes major depression, although this is not necessary for diagnosis. as mentioned earlier, mania is the defining feature. There isn’t any cure, but you can manage the condition through medication and lifestyle changes to minimise the chances of a manic episode recurring.