Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide. If someone close to you has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it’s crucial to understand the nature of this condition to provide meaningful support and compassion. In this blog post, I’ll go over what I wish my loved ones knew and …
Category: Bipolar 1
Rapid Cycling
Rapid Cycling is a term you’ll come across often when you’re in bipolar spaces. Unfortunately, it means many different things to many different people. So what is the DSM-5 definition of rapid cycling bipolar? “Presence of at least four mood episodes in the previous 12 months that meet the criteria for manic, hypomanic, or major …
Mania and Manic Episodes
To start with, who is this blog post for? This blog post is for someone who wants to learn about what mania is. It is not for diagnostic purposes (if you feel that you are bipolar, speak to a professional. I am just a 20-something with a keyboard and a bipolar diagnosis) and it should …
Bipolar 1 vs Bipolar 2 vs Cyclothymic Disorder
Bipolar 1 The only requirement for a bipolar 1 diagnosis is a single episode of mania. (For more on mania, see this post). This is one of the hardest things for people to understand about bipolar 1: A single episode of mania is enough for a bipolar 1 diagnosis. It could have been 10 years …