What happens during a bipolar meltdown, and is it possible to predict when one is likely to occur?
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Understanding Bipolar Disorder
To understand the significance of bipolar meltdowns, it can be valuable to first review a few fundamental facts about the condition associated with these meltdowns.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder that is characterized by dramatic and often unpredictable shifts in mood, attitude, and energy. Clinicians refer to these shifts as manic, hypomanic, and major depressive episodes.
Bipolar Episodes and Symptoms
Manic episodes are weeklong periods during which a person exhibits symptoms such as:
- Increased energy
- Diminished need for sleep
- Talkativeness
- Racing thoughts
- Elevated self-confidence, to the point of grandiosity
- Launching or participating in multiple endeavors
- Impulsivity and distractibility
- Reckless behaviors such as unsafe sex, gambling, spending sprees, and substance abuse
Hypomanic episodes are similar to manic episodes, but they only last four to six days.
Major depressive episodes, which last for at least two weeks, can include symptoms such as:
- Persistent sadness
- Low energy
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Loss of interest in most activities
- Substantial unintentional weight change
- Restlessness
- Delayed responsiveness
- Pervasive sense of worthlessness
- Problems with memory, focus, and judgment
- Recurrent thoughts of death and dying
Types of Bipolar Disorder
Though it is commonly referred to as one condition, there are actually three types of bipolar disorder:
- Bipolar I disorder involves manic episodes. A person with bipolar I disorder may also have hypomanic or major depressive episodes, but only manic episodes are required for this diagnosis.
- Bipolar II disorder involves hypomanic and major depressive episodes.
- Cyclothymic disorder involves hypomanic and depressive symptoms, neither of which rise to the level of a full episode, but which are present at least 50% of time for a period of at least two years.
What Is a Bipolar Meltdown?
Bipolar meltdown is a non-clinical term that describes periods of particularly intense, disruptive, and uncontrolled symptoms. This phenomenon is also sometimes referred to as bipolar anger and bipolar rage.
A bipolar meltdown can involve either mania or depression. The symptoms a person experiences during a meltdown won’t be fundamentally different than what they feel during a “normal” episode, but they will be much more severe.
Examples of what can occur during a bipolar meltdown include:
- Uncontrolled rage, which can involve insults, threats, and other types of verbal abuse as well as aggressiveness and violence.
- Racing thoughts and physical restlessness
- A deep sense of self-loathing and/or despair, to the point that the individual may be unable to get out of bed or perform basic hygiene/self-care practices.
- Intense drinking, gambling, or spending sprees
- Self-harming or suicidal behaviors
Given that there are multiple types of bipolar disorder and a range of symptoms that a person can experience, bipolar meltdowns can look quite different from one individual to the next. However, most meltdowns share certain characteristics, such as:
- Sudden onset, often with little to no warning or obvious trigger
- Particularly intense symptoms
- Loss of control
Causes
The causes of bipolar meltdowns can also vary considerably from one person to the next. Examples of events and circumstances that could trigger a meltdown include:
- Change in medication or noncompliance with current medicine regimen
- Poor self-care, such as eating certain unhealthy foods, failing to get an appropriate amount of exercise, or not sleeping enough
- Misuse of alcohol or other substances (including caffeine and nicotine)
- Significant setbacks, such job loss, the end of a relationship, or the failure of a project
- Significant positive changes, such as getting married, starting a new job, or having a child
- Recurring stressors such as ongoing challenges at work or financial worries
- Conflicts with friends, family members, colleagues, or even strangers
Effects
The potential ramifications of bipolar meltdowns can include personal, professional, and social harm such as:
- Physical injuries to self and others
- Conflicts with loved ones
- Damaged or ruined relationships
- Financial losses
- Workplace discipline, which may include being suspended or fired
- Legal problems, which may include being arrested, fined, and jailed
- Social withdrawal and isolation
- Worsening of symptoms
- Substance use and addiction
Warning Signs of a Bipolar Meltdown
It’s not always easy or even possible to predict the onset of a bipolar meltdown. But potential warning signs include:
- Altered routines (especially involving self-care practices)
- Sudden shift in mood, either positive or negative
- Increase or decrease in energy and activity levels
- Eating more or less than usual
- Sleeping more or less than usual
The common feature among warning signs of bipolar meltdowns is change. Any alterations in any aspect of a person’s life – including changes in school or at work – can either be triggers or signs that a meltdown is imminent.
Learn More About Bipolar Disorder Treatment Options in Atlanta
North Atlanta Behavioral Health is a trusted provider of personalized outpatient mental health treatment for adults in the Atlanta metro area whose lives have been disrupted by bipolar disorder, other mental health concerns, and co-occurring substance use disorders (addictions).
Treatment at our center in Atlanta, GA, is provided in two environments: a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP).
Some patients begin in our PHP, then step down to our IOP for continued support as they prepare to transition out of treatment. Others only spend time at one of these levels. Our team will work closely with you to identify the full scope of your needs and help you determine which level or levels of care are right for you.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.
