I have several friends with bipolar disorder. Handling it is really the responsibility of the person with bipolar disorder. They have to stick to their treatment and medication. Bipolar disorder is characterized by cyclical bouts of mania (lots of energy, bouncing all around, etc) and depression (the opposite). For this reason, it used to be referred to as manic depressive disorder. It is caused by a chemical imbalance, much the same as diabetes. Certain chemicals are not produced in proper amounts in the body. Just as diabetics take insulin to balance their biochemistry, so must bipolars take medication, and just as diabetics who go into sugar shock need treatment, so do bipolars who start to cycle. I hope this information helps. http://www.webmd.com/diseases_and_conditions/bipolar_disorder.htm

As far as handling them. . . I would lift them up by putting my arms around their waist although if they are an adult you might hurt your back. A better way to phrase your question might have been how can I help them. People genrally shouldn't be handled, rather they should be treated respectfully. If you have a family member or friend with bipolar than you might want to have a few sessions with a professional to find out what is the best way to help them. Alternatively you can look for a support group by contacting your local mental health association or DMDA (depressive and manic depressive association). If you are referring to someone who isn't close to you and you just want to know how to get along then I would just keep in mind that this person has an illness. This does NOT mean they don't have to experience the consequences of their behavior but that you should keep in mind when they are not on the proper medication they are sometimes not able to control their behavior. If you post some more specific information I may be able to give you a better answer.

My boyfriend has bipolar.. and sometimes, he's just really hard to understand.. as well as upredictable.. I wanted to know how bipolar shapes a persons personality. I love him very much, and just want to know how I can help him (as his girlfriend).

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder in which feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions are altered within the context of episodes of mania and depression. Previously known as manic depression, bipolar disorder once was thought to occur rarely in youth. However, approximately 20% of adults with bipolar disorder had symptoms beginning in adolescence. Here is an article that I found useful in helping a friend. In recent years bipolar disorder has received greater public attention. Traits of this illness include severe mood swings that vacillate between depression and mania. “During the depressed phase,” says a recent book published by the American Medical Association, “you may be haunted by thoughts of suicide. During the manic phase of your illness, your good judgment may evaporate and you may not be able to see the harm of your actions.” Bipolar disorder may affect 2 percent of the population in the United States, meaning that there are millions of sufferers in that country alone. Clinical depression is indeed challenging. But when mania is added to the equation, the result is called bipolar disorder. “The only consistent thing about bipolar disorder is that it is inconsistent,” says a sufferer named Lucia. During mania, notes The Harvard Mental Health Letter, bipolar patients “can be unbearably intrusive and domineering, and their reckless and restless euphoria may suddenly change into irritability or rage.” Lenore recalls her experience with the exhilaration of mania. “I was absolutely brimming over with energy,” she says. “Many called me a superwoman. People would say, ‘I wish I could be more like you.’ I often felt a great sense of power, as though I could accomplish anything. I exercised furiously. I functioned on very little sleep, two or three hours a night. Yet, I woke up with that same high energy level.” In time, however, a dark cloud began to hover over Lenore. “At the height of my euphoria,” she says, “I would feel an agitation from somewhere deep inside, a motor running that could not be shut off. In a flash, my agreeable mood would become aggressive and destructive. I would verbally pounce on a family member for no apparent reason. I was furious, hateful, and completely out of control. After this frightening display, I would suddenly become exhausted, tearful, and extremely depressed. I felt worthless and wicked. On the other hand, I might switch back to my amazingly cheerful self, as if nothing had ever happened.” The erratic behavior of bipolar disorder is a source of confusion to family members. Mary, whose husband suffers from bipolar disorder, states: “It can be confusing to see my husband happy and talkative and then suddenly become despondent and withdrawn. It’s a real struggle for us to accept the fact that he has little control over this.” Ironically, bipolar disorder is often just as distressful, if not more so, to the sufferer. “I envy people who have balance and stability in their lives,” says a bipolar patient named Gloria. “Stability is a place that bipolar people visit. None of us actually live there.” What causes bipolar disorder? There is a genetic component, one that is stronger than that of depression. “According to some scientific studies,” says the American Medical Association, “immediate family members, parents, siblings, or children, of people with bipolar depression are 8 to 18 times more likely than the close relatives of healthy people to develop the illness. In addition, having a close family member with bipolar depression may make you more vulnerable to major depression.” In contrast with depression, bipolar disorder seems to afflict men and women equally. Most often, it begins in young adulthood, but cases of bipolar disorder have been diagnosed in teenagers and even children. Nevertheless, analyzing the symptoms and arriving at the proper conclusion can be highly challenging even for a medical expert. “Bipolar disorder is the chameleon of psychiatric disorders, changing its symptom presentation from one patient to the next, and from one episode to the next even in the same patient,” writes Dr. Francis Mark Mondimore of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “It is a phantom that can sneak up on its victim cloaked in the darkness of melancholy but then disappear for years at a time, only to return in the resplendent but fiery robes of mania.” Clearly, mood disorders are difficult to diagnose and can be even more difficult to live with. But there is hope for sufferers. In recent decades, however, great strides have been made in understanding clinical depression and bipolar disorder. Now it is well known that these conditions are treatable. But getting help is not always easy. Why? Reading the Signs A mood disorder is not diagnosed with a simple blood test or X ray. Instead, a person’s behavior, thinking, and judgment are monitored over a period of time. A number of symptoms must be present for a diagnosis to be reached. The problem is that sometimes family members and friends do not realize that what they are observing constitutes evidence of a mood disorder. “Even when people agree on how a person’s behavior deviates from normal,” writes Dr. David J. Miklowitz, “they can have very different beliefs about what causes the person to be this way.” Furthermore, even when family members feel that the situation is serious, it may be difficult to convince the sufferer that he or she needs medical attention. Or if you are the one who is ailing, you may not be inclined to get help. Dr. Mark S. Gold writes: “Maybe you believe what you think when you’re depressed, that you’re no good, so what’s the use of going for help when there’s no hope for somebody like you anyway. Maybe you’d like to see someone about it but you think that being depressed is something to be ashamed of, that it’s all your fault. . . . Maybe you don’t know that what you’re feeling is depression.” Nevertheless, for those who suffer from major depression, medical attention is crucial. Of course, everyone feels despondent on occasion, and this does not necessarily indicate a mood disorder. But what if these feelings seem more intense than a mere bout with the blues? And what if they persist for an unusual length of time, perhaps two weeks or more? Furthermore, suppose the depressive moods are preventing you from functioning normally, either at work, at school, or in social situations. In such a case, it might be wise to consult a professional who is qualified to diagnose and treat depressive disorders. When a biochemical imbalance is involved, medication may be prescribed. In other cases, a program of counseling might be recommended to help the sufferer learn how to cope with his or her condition. At times, both approaches combined have produced beneficial results. The important thing is to reach out and get help. “Many times sufferers are frightened and ashamed of their condition,” says Lenore, a bipolar patient mentioned in the preceding article. “The real shame, though, is suspecting you have a problem and not seeking the help that you so desperately need.” Lenore is speaking from experience. “I had been virtually bedridden for a year,” she says. “Then, one day when I was feeling a little stronger, I decided to call and make an appointment with a doctor.” Lenore’s condition was diagnosed as bipolar disorder, and medication was prescribed. This proved to be a turning point in her life. “I feel normal when I take my medication,” Lenore says, “although I have to keep reminding myself that if I stop taking it, all the old symptoms will return.” It is similar with Brandon, who suffers from depression. “As a teenager,” he says, “I often entertained the idea of committing suicide because of my overwhelming feelings of worthlessness. It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s that I went to a doctor.” Like Lenore, Brandon takes medication to cope with his disorder, but more is involved. “To help my overall well being,” he says, “I take care of my mind and my body. I get rest and watch what I eat. I also fill my mind and heart with positive thoughts from the Bible.” Winning the Battle Even after a diagnosis has been made and treatment has begun, it is likely that a mood disorder will present continual challenges to the sufferer. Kelly, who battles major depression, is grateful for the professional help that has addressed the medical aspects of her condition. In addition, though, she has found that the support of others is crucial. At first, Kelly was reluctant to reach out to others because she did not want to be perceived as a burden. “I had to learn not only to seek help but also to accept it,” she says. “It wasn’t until I opened up that I was able to stop the downward spiral.” Lucia, is grateful for the excellent medical care she has received. “Seeing a mental health professional has been absolutely vital for my learning to deal with and ride out the mood swings that accompany this disease,” she says. Lucia also emphasizes the value of rest. “Sleep is an important key to dealing with mania,” she says. “The less sleep I get, the higher I climb. Even when sleep won’t come, instead of getting up I have trained myself to lie there and rest.” Sheila, also mentioned earlier, has found it helpful to keep a daily journal in which she can pour out her feelings. She sees a marked improvement in her outlook. Still, there are challenges. “Fatigue, for some reason, lets negative thoughts percolate in my brain,” Sheila says. “But I’ve learned to silence them or at least lower their volume.” Comfort From God’s Word The Bible is a strengthening aid for many who suffer from “disquieting thoughts.” (Psalm 94:17-19, 22) Cherie, for example, found Psalm 72:12, 13 to be particularly encouraging. There, the psalmist states about God’s appointed King, Jesus Christ: “He will deliver the poor one crying for help, also the afflicted one and whoever has no helper. He will feel sorry for the lowly one and the poor one, and the souls of the poor ones he will save.” Cherie was also encouraged by the words of the apostle Paul recorded at Romans 8:38, 39: “I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love.” Elaine, a bipolar patient, finds her relationship with God to be an anchor. She is greatly comforted by the words of the psalmist: “A heart broken and crushed, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) “It has truly been a comfort to know that our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah, understands,” she says. “It has been strengthening to draw close to him in prayer, especially in times of great anxiety and distress.” When Medication Is Prescribed Some feel that taking medication is a sign of weakness. But think of it this way: A diabetic must submit to a program of treatment that may include taking insulin injections. Is this a sign of failure? Hardly! It is simply a means of balancing the body’s nutrients so that the sufferer can remain healthy. It is much the same with taking medication for depressive and bipolar disorders. Although many people have been helped by a program of counseling that has enabled them to understand their illness, a caution is in order. When a chemical imbalance is involved, the illness cannot be simply reasoned away with logic. Steven, a bipolar patient, relates: “The medical professional who treated me illustrated it this way: You can give a person all the driving lessons in the world, but if you give that person a car with no steering wheel or brakes, then those lessons won’t do much good. In the same way, giving only cognitive counseling to a depressed person may not attain the desired results. Balancing the brain’s chemistry is a valuable first step.” Source: Awake! Magazine January 8th, 2004 issue

Bipolar disorder is a complicated mental illness. He'll need treatment from mental health professionals and probably medication. You could check out a symptom checker to see what other symptoms might be caused by bipolar. Good luck!

I put a list together not long ago from from seven different medical encyclopedias and sources, as I found most individual sources to be incomplete and not including symptoms found in other sources. (I do not claim to know all of them, but I have done alot of reading and research, and I think it's safe to say I've covered most of the known symptoms of Bipolar Disorder) (See below). (Note: you do not have to have all the symptoms to have Bipolar Disorder, I do not know of anyone who has every single one. Some have very few. And I know for a fact that each person's Bipolar experience is unique). I have Bipolar Disorder myself and I've done alot of research and reading as well as a newsletter including different topics related to or about Bipolar Disorder or depression in addition mental health humor-- for a group of Bipolars at my church. (View it here: http://joyinpain.googlepages.com/) If you have BP, or think you might, I encourage you to seek out professional medical care, preferably a psychiatrist, one who also uses natural medicine and supplements. Nutrition, vitamins and supplements, diet, exercise, medicine, a good psychiatrist, among other things, can all greatly affect Bipolar Disorder. Here's a list of 15 tips for people with Bipolar Disorder or depression, gathered from my research and reading for my newsletter. http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dcp466nb_29csxkftgq&hl=en Hope this helps, Love, Amy ----------------- The Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder from seven different medical encyclopedias and sources Bipolar 1 "For a diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder according to the DSM-IV-TR, there requires one or more manic or mixed episodes. A depressive episode is not required for the diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder but it frequently occurs." "The manic period is usually followed by a period of depression, though a few bipolar I individuals may not experience a major depressive episode." Mania "If the mood of the patient is irritable and not elevated, four of the symptoms are required." • Feelings of self-importance • Elation • Euphoria • Lack of inhibitions • Talkativeness • Increased sociability • A desire to embark on goal-oriented activities • Irritability (to the point of rage) • Impatience • Impulsiveness, In late 2001, a study reported at an international psychiatric conference that impulsivity remains a key distinguishing characteristic for bipolar disorder, at least when patients are in manic phases • Hyperactivity • Decreased need for sleep or sleeplessness • Extravagance • A tendency toward irrational judgment • Severe anxiety • Suspicion • Increase in physical and mental rate and quality • Increased energy and over-activity is common • Speech can become racing • Attention span is low and easily distracted • Unrealistic, grandiose or over optimistic ideas may be voiced or attempted • Social skills are impaired • Impractical ideas may lead to financial and relationship indiscretions • Increased sexual interest • "In extreme cases, mania can induce hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms such as grandiose delusions" • Psychologists and psychiatrists use the criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition as a guidline of diagnosis for bipolar disorder that describes a manic episode as an abnormally elevated or irritable mood lasting a period of at least one week that is distinguished by at least three of the mania symptoms: • Inflated self-esteem • Decreased need for sleep • Talkativeness • Racing thoughts • Distractibility • Increase in goal-directed activity, or • Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences. And from my own experience: • Pacing, running, or rocking • Stuttering, incomplete sentences • A bursting unbearable sense of energy that cannot be relieved Mixed Episode "Mixed episodes can be the most volatile of the bipolar states, as moods can easily and quickly be triggered or shifted. Suicide attempts, substance abuse, and self-mutilation may occur during this state." During a mixed episode, symptoms of mania or hypomania and clinical depression occur simultaneously, for example: • Agitation • Anxiety • Aggressiveness or belligerence • Confusion • Fatigue • Impulsiveness • Insomnia • Irritability • Morbid and/or suicidal ideation • Panic • Paranoia • Persecutory delusions • Pressured speech • Racing thoughts • Restlessness • Rage • Suicide attempts • Substance abuse • Self-mutilation And from my own experience: • Tearfulness • Depression • Frustration • A bursting unbearable sense of energy that cannot be relieved • Stuttering, incomplete sentences • Pacing, running, or rocking Dysphoric Mania • Characterized by anger and irritability Depression • Low energy levels or extremely low energy • Feelings of despair • Difficulty concentrating • Extreme fatigue (for example, hypersomnia; a sleep disorder marked by a need for excessive sleep or sleepiness when awake) • Psychomotor retardation (slowed mental and physical capabilities) • Lethargic • Withdrawn • Lack of concentration • Feelings of worthlessness, self-blame, and guilt • Persistant feelings of sadness • Anxiety • Guilt • Anger • Isolation and/or hopelessness • Disturbances in sleep and appetite • Loss of interest in usually enjoyed activities • Problems concentrating • Loneliness • Self loathing • Apathy or indifference • Depersonalization (where everything feels unreal...) • Loss of interest in sexual activity • Shyness or social anxiety • Irritability • Chronic pain (with or without a known cause) • Lack of motivation • Morbid/suicidal ideation Bipolar 2 "Characterized by major depressive episodes alternating with episodes of hypomania, a milder form of mania." "Major Depressive episodes are part of the Bipolar II experience, and there is evidence that sufferers of this disorder spend proportionally much more of their life in the depressive phase of the illness than their counterparts with Bipolar I Disorder (Akiskal & Kessler, 2007)." "Bipolar II, which occurs more frequently is usually characterized by at least one episode of hypomania and at least one depression." Hypomania DSM-IV notes that unlike manic episodes, hypomanic episodes: 1) do not cause a marked impairment in social or occupational functioning 2) do not require hospitalization, and 3) do not have psychotic features Although many clinicians find the criteria too rigid, a hypomanic diagnosis requires a duration of at least four days with at least three of the symptoms indicated for manic episodes (four if mood is irritable and not elevated). "Because hypomanic episodes are characterized by high energy and goal directed activities and often result in a positive outcome, or are perceived in a positive manner by the patient, bipolar II disorder can go undiagnosed." Features: • A milder form of mania • The hypomanic "highs" do not go to the extremes of mania • Less of the symptoms of mania than those in a full-blown manic episode • "Many patients experience only a brief period of overoptimism and mild euphoria during the manic phase" • The duration is usually also shorter than in mania • This is often a very 'artistic' state of the disorder, where there is a flight of ideas, extremely clever thinking, and an increase in energy • Feel creative and confident • Often makes commitments that they cannot keep or start projects that they do not finish • Cheerful • Need little sleep • Have a lot of energy My experience: • Just a milder form of mania, where the symptoms are less severe and/or there are less symptoms Depression • Same as bipolar 1 Cyclothemia "Cyclothymia refers to the cycling of hypomanic episodes with depression that does not reach major depressive proportions. A third of patients with cyclothymia will develop bipolar I or II disorder later in life. A diagnosis of Cyclothymic Disorder requires the presence of numerous hypomanic episodes, intermingled with depressive episodes that do not meet full criteria for major depressive episodes. The main idea here is that there is a low-grade cycling of mood which appears to the observer as a personality trait, but interferes with functioning." Sources: • Medical Encyclopedia. © 2006 through a partnership of Answers Corporation. All rights reserved. • The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. • Alternative Medicine Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Copyright © 2005 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved. • Children's Health Encyclopedia. © 2006 through a partnership of Answers Corporation. All rights reserved. • Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. • Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. • Health Dictionary. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved. • Wikipedia. This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bipolar disorder". ---------------------------