Have you ever wondered if you’re bipolar? Is it possible to know if you are? You might be asking yourself this question because of some symptoms that have been bothering you for a while. But it can be difficult to tell and the answer is not always straightforward.
Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding if your symptoms might indicate bipolar disorder:
Do I experience periods of extreme highs or lows? How often do I feel very happy, sad, or angry? Is my mood unstable? Do I find myself feeling like life isn’t worth living anymore at times?
If any of these sound familiar then here’s what to do next:
- See a doctor about getting diagnosed with a mood disorder by talking openly about your feelings and thoughts
- Talk to a trusted friend or family member
- See a professional therapist
- Read professional articles around Bipolar to help you understand and deal with it
We want to help you become more informed around the topic of bipolar and help you find out how to know if you’re bipolar.
Do know if you have a family history of bipolar disorder?
Many people are surprised to find out that they might be at risk for developing bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is gene-linked, which means that it can happen if your parents or grandparents had the condition. There’s also a chance that you could develop it due to environmental factors such as stress. If you’re feeling like something isn’t right, know that there are resources available to help you figure out what’s going on and get treatment for bipolar. The good news is that there’s help out there for both those with a family history of bipolar disorder and those who have been experiencing symptoms without knowing what they were.
Do you know of any other mental health conditions in your family?
If you have a family history of mental health conditions, it can be hard not to worry about the future. You might feel like you or your loved ones are doomed and that there is nothing you can do to change the course of your lives. But research has shown that this isn’t true. So if one of your relatives has been diagnosed with something like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, don’t panic – just remember all the resources available for helping them get better, and it’s not at all certain that you will develop the same condition.
Most people know that mental health conditions can be hereditary. Up to 50% of the risk for developing a mental disorder comes from your genes. This means that if one or more family members have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, or other conditions, there’s a chance you might also. However, it’s important not to view this as deterministic, believing you certainly will develop a mental disorder just because a family member has one.
Although you may have a gene that makes you more likely to develop something like bipolar, it doesn’t mean that you will. In fact, convincing yourself that you’ll have something because a family member also suffers from it can be dangerous. The mind is powerful, and this can unlock or activate certain genes that weren’t being expressed. Just because you have a gene for something or a tendency, it doesn’t mean your body will express it.
Have you experienced periods of depression, mania, or hypomania?
There are many reasons why you may experience a period of depression, mania, or hypomania. Not all of them will be due to bipolar. These episodes can happen at any time and last for different lengths of time. Some people find that these mood changes are cyclical and they come back again and again; others only have one episode in their lifetime. Depression is more than just feeling sad; it’s a medical condition that affects the brain and body in different ways.
How do your moods change over the course of a day or week?
Do you ever feel drained or overwhelmed by the end of a long day? Have you noticed that your moods change over the course of a week and wonder why this is happening? Maybe it’s time to take a look at how your sleep habits, diet, exercise routine, and stress levels have been impacting your mood. We all have our ups and downs.
Some days are more productive than others, some weeks are more challenging than others, but we always have something to be grateful for in the end. Everyone feels a little bit different at different times of the day. You might be feeling tired in the morning, energized during your lunch break, and sleepy by 5 p.m. But do you notice how these changes happen over time? What about throughout an entire week? This can indicate whether these mood changes are just the regular mood changes that most of us have due to environmental changes, or if they could be resulting from something like bipolar.
What are some situations that trigger mood changes for you?
This will certainly vary from person to person. However you might note that things that trigger your mood changes are unusual or unpredictable, and this could be an indication of bipolar. If your triggers seem to be normal things that could cause a high or low in anyone, your sudden mood changes could be due to environmental or external factors.
The mood changes that you experience in response to different situations are called “affective reactivity” and they can happen for a number of reasons. Mood changes are a normal part of life that can be caused by many factors. Moods change based on many different situations such as: how well you slept the night before, what you had for lunch, family dynamics, altering your routine, and much more.
All these questions can help you know if you’re bipolar, or if someone you care about is.