With Seasonal Pattern
Probably the best-know specifier is “with seasonal pattern.” Some people refer to this as seasonal affective disorder, but it essentially means that your moods change dependent on the weather and time of year. When investigating the last few years of your symptoms, pay attention to the seasonality of your depressive and manic episodes. If manic symptoms come in the spring and summer while depressive symptoms come in the fall and winter, there is a good chance that you have the seasonal specifier.
Tracking the trends of your mood episodes is always a helpful endeavor. In this case, you can prepare yourself for likely changes in symptoms by engaging in preventative activities like exercise, diet changes and sleep changes. You can schedule more therapy sessions in the fall and discuss your medications with your prescriber. You may not be able to prevent unwanted symptoms but preparation can lessen the impact.
With Peripartum Onset
Obviously, being pregnant and having a baby influences your mental health in ways that are dramatic often. This specifier is listed as “with peripartum onset” because studies show that about half of “postpartum” mood symptoms actually begin a few weeks before delivery. The mood episodes are usually depressive episodes that are distinguished from common “baby blues” by their intensity and duration.
Women with peripartum onset may have intense anxious symptoms as well as psychotic features. These symptoms can interfere with attachment and ability to parent effectively. If you had a previous pregnancy that was difficult, be sure to consult your medical providers before becoming pregnant again. The risk of peripartum reoccurrence is between 30% and 50% for following deliveries. For some, the risk of the intense symptoms is too great.
Others
The specifiers listed above are the most common to bipolar, but there are others. They include bipolar disorder with melancholic features, with atypical features and with catatonia. Catatonia is when you do not respond to external stimulus and do not interact with the outside world. Melancholic features are more intense depressive symptoms like profound despair, significant weight loss/ refusal to eat and depression that is worse in the morning. Atypical features are made up of sleeping most of the time, significant weight gain, and feeling heaviness in your limps. These are rarely seen in practice, but if these symptoms sound like you, be sure to consult your providers.
Conclusion
There may be a whole world of bipolar disorder that you were not aware of before now. Use this article to spur new research, learn and discuss information with the medical and mental health providers in your life. With better understanding comes better diagnosis. With better diagnosis comes better treatment. Better treatment means a happier you.
