Warning Signs of Depression in Bipolar Disorder

Warning Signs of Depression

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by periods of mania or hypomania, and depressive episodes. Manic episodes can be very tiring and detrimental to your mental health, and can often lead to feelings of depression afterwards as you struggle to cope with the outcome of what has happened.

Depression in bipolar can be different to a standard depressive illness as you may draw comparisons to your periods of normalcy hypomanic episodes, and begin to feel hopeless that you will never feel positive emotions again. You may feel as though things are never going to improve, or that you are destined to repeat this circle forever.

Depression can almost feel like the hangover to mania – an awful feeling where you take stock of your finances, what you did, and what you need to do to repair the damage done.

Symptoms of Depression in Bipolar

There are many warning signs of depression in bipolar, some of which include (but are not limited to):

• A lack of energy – you may feel more tired, and begin to sleep more, especially during the day
• Alternatively you may not be able to sleep at all, even if you are very tired and exhausted

• You may be more prone to self-destructive behaviour, and may self-harm by cutting yourself or other ways
• You may have suicidal thoughts, or exhibit behaviours such as hoarding medication or giving away possessions to loved ones
• You may feel guilty, even though there is nothing for you to feel guilty about
• If you are at school or university, you may notice a drop in your grades, and if you are in work your performance may be impacted
• You may notice a change in your appetite, and following this a change in your weight

Next page: coping with depression.