How to Identify a Manic Episode
How do you identify whether or not you, or someone you love, is having a manic episode? Here are some of the signs and symptoms that the professionals use to assess if someone has had a manic episode. If the signs and symptoms are present, please seek professional help for you or your loved one.
A. The person has experienced a period of persistently and abnormally elevated, your double or expansive mood, that is lasted for one week or longer (or any amount of time if they had to be hospitalized due to it).
B. During the time of the mood disturbance, three (or more) of the symptoms below have persisted (four if their mood is just irritable) and have been present to significant degree:
1. reduced need for sleep (i.e. they feel rested after only 3-4 hours of sleep).
2. demonstrates an expanded sense of self-esteem or grandiosity.
3. Person demonstrates a flight of ideas or has a subjective experience of racing thoughts.
4. Person is easily distracted (i.e. they readily pay attention to unimportant or irrelevant things in the environment).
5. noticeable increase in goal directed activity (this could be a work, school, sexually, or socially) or demonstrate psychomotor agitation.
6. Persons excessively involved in pleasurable activities that have a strong potential for dangerous or painful outcomes (for example, foolish plans or investments, wild shopping sprees, and taking unadvisable risks)
7. person is much more chatty than usual or feels a sense of pressure to keep talking.
C. Their mood disturbance is severe enough to cause marked impairment in job performance or in their usual social activities and/or relationships, or it is necessary to hospitalized them to prevent harm to themselves or others, or they demonstrate psychotic behaviors /features.
D. The symptoms they display have not met the criteria for Mixed Episode
E. their symptoms are not caused by the direct psychological effects of a substance (e.g. illicit drugs, medications or other various treatments) and are not due to a medical condition (such as hyperthyroidism).
Note: if the person experiences a manic-like episode that is clearly caused by antidepressant treatment (such as, electroconvulsive therapy, medication, light therapy, etc.) should not count when considering a diagnosis of Bipolar 1 disorder
The above is not to be construed as counseling, and/or consulting or medical advice. Always consult with a licensed professional.
By: Paul Cline (www.AdvancedTrainingSeminars.com)
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