How does Bipolar Disorder impact Everyday Life?

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterised by extreme highs (mania) and extreme lows (depression). Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymia are three different types of Bipolar Disorder.

. Mania in bipolar disorder can look like 

• Exaggerated self-confidence, 

• Feeling an increase in energy, 

• Talking excessively, 

• Having too many thoughts at the same time rapidly, and 

• Decreased sleep

While depressive phases in bipolar disorder can make you:

• Lose interest in activities you once enjoyed, 

• Sleeping too much or too little, 

• Feeling worthless,

• Thinking about suicide, and 

• Having decreased concentration and attentiveness

Also read: What is Bipolar Disorder - Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and more

How does Bipolar Disorder impact your Daily Life?

It impacts your sleep

Your sleep patterns get severely altered because of this mental condition. During manic episodes, you can feel like you can get by with very little or no sleep. On the other hand, during depressive episodes, you may feel groggy throughout the day due to insomnia(not being able to sleep) or hypersomnia (sleeping a lot more than usual). 

This can significantly impair your ability to concentrate and work and can have a negative result on your physical and social health and well-being. It can also cause stress, and demotivation to carry out daily chores and make you prone to fall sick often.

Also read: 6 Tips For Managing Symptoms Of Insomnia and Depression Together

It impacts your work

Bipolar disorder can make you miss important deadlines and get into more interpersonal conflicts due to mood fluctuations and impulsive behaviour that come with this condition.

Studies have shown that people living with Bipolar Disorder have a higher likelihood of having difficulty in their careers. This is because this condition can impede your ability to work, and your ability to coordinate with a team. Your coworkers might behave differently around you, because of the stigma around the condition. 

It might also reflect a lack of continuity in work history or difficulty working in your career. Companies and hiring managers may also stigmatise you because of your mental disorder if they lack awareness of how to nurture an individual with a mental disorder in the workplace. 

Also read: Is It Okay to Get Angry at Work

It impacts your eating habits

You may experience a change in your eating habits due to mood fluctuations. Similar to sleep patterns, you may feel like you can get by with very little or no food at all during manic episodes. You can experience a loss of appetite and an unbalanced nutrition intake which can have a  negative effect on your physical health.

While in depressive episodes, you may start binge-eating. This may cause you to obsess over your weight, experience low self-worth, and have body image issues. In fact, several studies suggest that one in three people with bipolar disorder meet the criteria for binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and other eating disorders.

Also read: Eating Healthy While Being at Home

It impacts your personal relationships

You may struggle with forming and maintaining long-term healthy relationships because of the mood fluctuations caused by bipolar disorder. Your partner and family members can feel unsafe because of the unpredictability of your behaviour during manic episodes. 

While having interpersonal conflicts with your partner or friends, manic episodes can cause you to be more irritable and combative. This can lead to normal disputes escalating into physical attacks as reasoning with logic during arguments won’t work. 

Also read: How Does Bipolar Disorder Affect Relationships

Living with bipolar disorder can be challenging; especially when there’s a lack of awareness of the mental disorder within the community. However, it’s not to say that there’s nothing that can be done about it. 

It is important to build a support network that you can trust and communicate with openly. 

With the right support and care from your therapist, psychiatrist, friends, and family, it is possible to get better and live a healthy and fulfilling life. Remember that you deserve love, support, care, and quality treatment in your journey to getting better. 

Sources: 

1. https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-019-0262-2