A misunderstanding about bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is often misunderstood. It seems people are always hearing negative things about people affected by bipolar disorder. I was so afraid to be bipolar so much that I let it define who I was for some time. I wasn't Danette, I was bipolar. Well, there are some positive things that a lot people don't hear about. Number 1: I learned how to take care of myself. Number 2: I learned it's okay to ask for help. Number 3: People affected with bipolar disorder can be happy! Number 4: I realized that bipolar disorder is an illness and NOT a definition.

Symptoms of bipolar disorder

There are several symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. These symptoms are categorized by mania and depression. Mania symptoms might include:
*Feeling like you can do anything, even something unsafe or illegal
*Needing very little sleep, yet never feeling tired
*Dressing flamboyantly
*Spending money extravagantly
*Living recklessly
*Having increased sexual desires, perhaps even indulging in risky sexual behaviors
*Experiencing hallucinations or delusions *Feeling filled with energy
Depression symptoms may include:
*Refusing to get out of bed for days on end
*Sleeping much more than usual
*Being tired all the time but unable to sleep
*Having bouts of uncontrollable crying
*Becoming entirely uninterested in things you once enjoyed
*Paying no attention to daily responsibilities
*Feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless for a sustained period of time
*Becoming unable to make simple decisions
*Wanting to die

Opposites Attract

As the saying goes, opposites attract, and with bipolar disorder this saying is all too true. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, can be devastating. Bipolar disorder consists of an individual alternating between extreme highs and extreme lows and anything in between. It affects both emotional and physical behavior.