| Mania
Imagine being "too
happy." But when mania strikes, the fun only lasts for so long. Then the
person’s life can be trashed by behaviors that can cost them their businesses, their
jobs, their friends, their money, and their health.
These days, mania is
diagnosed as "Bipolar Disorder," reflecting the usual course of the syndrome,
which tends to include both the extreme highs of mania and the depths of depression.
Fortunately, this
disorder is not very common, occurring in less than 2% of the population, and it usually
responds well to pharmacological treatment.
Symptoms of Mania
Common symptoms of
mania are described below.
- Persistently feeling unusually happy, euphoric, powerful, capable, invincible,
irritable, or angry
- Inflated self-esteem, unrealistically high self-appraisal, or beliefs that are grandiose
- Needing much less sleep than usual
- Racing thoughts that are hard to keep up with or to express clearly to others
- Being easily distracted, unable to complete one task, thought, or conversation because
other things pull your attention away
- More talkative than usual, or others can’t get a word in because you talk so much
and so fast
- Excessive energy, or unable to sit still
- Excessive involvement in work, school, social activities, sexual activities, etc.
- High-risk, high-cost behaviors, such as spending sprees, foolish investments, impulsive
sexual encounters, etc.
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The Role of the Psychologist
Psychologists can
diagnose the manic episode and refer for medications (the primary treatment for this
disorder). In addition, psychologists offer psychotherapy to help the person with Bipolar
Disorder adjust to the illness, cope effectively, handle losses that occur due to the
illness, and comply with medications.
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