Bipolar symptoms in men are characterized by significant swings in energy and mood that are so extreme that they interfere with day-to-day activities. Although bipolar illness is becoming a more widely recognized mental health disease in our society, there frequently appears to be a disconnect in that knowledge when we discuss it specifically as it pertains to men. Let’s find out what these mean in detail.
Bipolar Symptoms in Men
In the United States, bipolar disorder affects 2.8% of adults and slightly more men than women. Although gender doesn’t appear to have a substantial influence on who can acquire bipolar disorder, it does have an impact on how it manifests. This is partly because men and women can have different psychological and emotional states depending on their bipolar condition.
Men’s bipolar symptoms can be a little challenging to diagnose because they may be more likely to reject that anything is wrong. The social norm that teaches men that expressing emotions is a sign of weakness is probably directly related to this.
How Men’s Bipolar Disorder Differs
Men and women may experience bipolar disorder in very different ways. We need to be aware of a few significant variances.
Start: Men may experience the onset of bipolar disorder earlier than women. A seasonal pattern may also cause women to experience more severe mood swings or disruptions.
Episodes: Compared to women, men often experience fewer mixed mania and depression episodes. They also cycle more slowly than women do.
Bipolar II disorder: Men are more likely to be diagnosed with this type of bipolar disorder than women, which results in less depressive episodes.
Comorbidity: Men are less likely than women to have both psychological and medical illnesses. Men are more likely to suffer from bipolar disorder and substance abuse. Contrarily, women tend to experience concomitant thyroid disease, obesity, migraines, or anxiety problems more frequently than do men.
Male Bipolar Disorder Symptoms & Signs
When a person has bipolar disorder, the indications and symptoms they encounter can differ greatly between men and women. It is crucial to talk about and comprehend them because male bipolar disorder symptoms are frequently associated with delays in diagnosis and treatment. The strongest indicator of successfully treating bipolar disorder is getting treatment and beginning treatment as soon as possible, as is the case with most mental health conditions.
Mania
Men are far more likely to experience a severe manic episode, which is characterized by intense highs, excessive amounts of inexplicable energy, and little to no need for sleep. This is different from women because depressive episodes unique to bipolar illness are substantially more common in women. A man’s mania might endure from a few days to several months at a time throughout any specific episode. Manic episodes can cause a person to lose all sense of reality. Men are more likely to exhibit significant hostility when they are manic.
Typical mania-related bipolar symptoms in men include:
- Expressing ecstatic joy
- Speaking quickly
- Rapid-fire thinking
- Being easily irritated
- Excessive irritability
- Exhibiting a heightened sense of self
- Making bad decisions
- Acting irrationally and violently
Depression
Men are more prone than women to become angry and irritable during depressive episodes linked to bipolar illness. Since aggression is typically associated with men, bipolar disorder-related violence can first be perceived as acceptable behavior. As a result, a diagnosis might not be given when it should or as suitably. Furthermore, due to the sad episodes, it can be challenging to distinguish between bipolar illness and depression without a thorough diagnosis.
Male bipolar patients’ typical depressive symptoms include:
- Sadness or a sense of helplessness
- Eating excessively or insufficiently
- Feeling lonely while avoiding social interaction?
- Trouble concentrating
- Getting too much rest
- Use of drugs
- Suicidal ideas
Bipolar Symptoms in Men Treatment
Anyone with bipolar disorder, whether a male or a woman, can receive treatment. The options include medication, psychotherapy, and other interventions.
Medications
Atypical antipsychotics and some mood stabilizers can help manage bipolar disorder symptoms, but it may take trying a few different ones before finding the one that works best for you.
Lithium and other mood stabilizers can help avoid mood episodes or lessen their intensity when they do happen. Suicide risk is also lowered with lithium. Sometimes, as part of a comprehensive therapy approach, mood stabilizers are used with additional drugs that address sleep or anxiety.
It is exceedingly risky to abruptly quit taking these prescriptions without a doctor’s supervision due to the chemical nature of the medications. Serious negative effects could happen. If you think you might want to stop taking your medicine, it’s crucial to gradually reduce the dosage under your doctor’s supervision in order to do so safely and effectively.
Seeing a Doctor for Psychotherapy
The term “psychotherapy” (sometimes known as “talk therapy”) refers to a range of therapeutic approaches that are used to help patients recognize and alter unhelpful feelings, attitudes, and actions. People with bipolar disorder and their family can benefit from the support, information, skills, and solutions that psychotherapy can provide.
The dynamics of a family’s daily functioning can be significantly impacted by bipolar illness symptoms, making family therapy advantageous as well.
You’ve finished your treatment and are now at home.
The National Institutes on Mental Health and others make ongoing efforts to study the causes of and therapies for bipolar illness. For the time being, it’s critical to remember that it can be managed.
It is possible to successfully incorporate treating bipolar disorder into daily life, whether you are managing your own condition or helping someone else. When you leave an outpatient program, you will already be equipped with the necessary abilities. Treatment is just the beginning; recovery takes time.
Keep up with the following: • Attend therapy and medical appointments, and discuss treatment choices with the physician.
- Take all medications as prescribed.
- Schedule your activities: eat at regular times, go to bed at a reasonable hour, and exercise.
- Recognize your mood fluctuations and deal with them using techniques you’ve learned in therapy. Keep a log of your symptoms’ onset, duration, and frequency.
- Seek assistance with your treatment and day-to-day experiences.
- Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness, but with long-term, continuous therapy, symptoms can be managed and you or a loved one can have a healthy life.
Bipolar Symptoms in Men Tips
There are no particular causes of bipolar disorder. However, the condition may develop as a result of a number of various circumstances.
#1. Genes
Bipolar disorder may occur as a result of genetic causes. A individual who has this illness is probably descended from a family member. A person is more likely to acquire bipolar disorder if they have a parent or sibling who suffers from episodes.
This condition is not caused by a single gene, but rather by a number of genes working together.
#2. Brain Physiology
Emotions are regulated by certain areas of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. They oversee how people react to their surroundings as well. Moods can be affected when these structures are altered from their natural structure.
#3. Dysregulation of Neurotransmitters
Bipolar disorder has been linked to a breakdown in neurotransmitters. Bipolar disorder may be exacerbated when dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine levels or functions are disturbed.
#4. System of Defense
The severity of this illness is also correlated with specific immune system elements. They consist of interleukins and cytokines.
#5. Antenatal Variables
The onset of symptoms of illness may be linked to fetal infections. Dopamine may change as a result of exposure to certain illnesses, increasing production. Manic episodes are thought to be caused by elevated dopamine levels in patients with bipolar disorder. The immune system’s functionality may be impacted by these infections.
#6. Postnatal Influences
Bipolar symptoms may also be caused by mistreatment or abuse throughout childhood. The disorder might develop in addition to other mental problems because of emotional abuse and neglect in particular.
#7. Addiction to Drugs
Misused drugs are frequently present in bipolar symptoms. The lifetime prevalence of substance abuse is predicted to be 61% for individuals with bipolar I disorder and 48% for those with bipolar II.
Regular users of opiates, alcohol, or cocaine may be more susceptible to developing bipolar illness. There are also theories that cannabis may have an effect on how the illness develops.
Bipolar symptoms in Men Test
Please provide the most accurate response you can to each question.
#1. Has There ever Been a Time When you Weren’t Being Yourself and Felt so Fantastic or Energized that others Mistook You for Someone else or you were so Energized that You got into Trouble?
o YES
o NO
#2. You Became so Enraged that you Yelled at Others, Provoked Fights, or Engaged in Arguments?
o YES
o NO
#3. Did you Feel Significantly more Self-Assured than Usual?
o YES
o NO
#4. You Slept far Less than Normal and Discovered that You Didn’t Really Miss it?
o YES
o NO
#5. Did you Speak More Quickly or with Significantly More Vivacity than Usual?
o YES
o NO
#6. Your Mind Couldn’t Stop Racing or Couldn’t Stop Thinking?
o YES
o NO
#7. You Had Problems Focusing or Staying on Task Since You Were so Easily Distracted by Things Around You?
o YES
o NO
#8. Did You Have a Lot More Energy Than Normal?
o YES
o NO
#9. You Were Much More Talkative or Outgoing Than Usual, Calling Pals at Odd Hours, for Instance
o YES
o NO
#10. Your Interest in Sex was Significantly Higher than Usual?
o YES
o NO
#11. Did You Act in a Way that Was Uncommon for You or That Others Would Have Seen Reckless, Extravagant, or Excessive?
o YES
o NO
#12. Has Overspending Put You or Your Family in Trouble?
o YES
o NO
#13. If You Answered YES to More Than one of the Aforementioned Questions, have any of them ever Occurred at the Same Time?
o YES
o NO
#14. How Big of an Issue did Any of These Bring up for You?
Unable to work, experiencing difficulties with family, money, or the law, or getting into conflicts or fights?
“NO PROBLEM,”
SMALL PROBLEM
MEDIUM PROBLEM
SEVERE PROBLEM
How to Date a Bipolar Man
Bipolar disorder-related mood swings have the potential to drastically alter behavior. A person with bipolar disorder may experience unusually high levels of energy and have trouble falling asleep during manic periods. A person with bipolar disorder may appear worn out and depressed when they are going through depressive periods. Maybe they don’t want to go out or do anything.
Communication and social interaction may be challenging during these significant mood swings. Although bipolar disorder symptoms can be controlled with medication and counseling, they can nevertheless have a negative impact on relationships, possibly most significantly romantic ones.
Learn how to handle a love relationship regardless of whether you or your spouse has bipolar disease by reading on.
Relationships in the Context of Bipolar Disorder
If you suffer from bipolar disorder, you might already be aware of how your condition might affect a romantic partnership. You could be anxious about beginning a new relationship and determining the “perfect” moment to disclose your bipolar disease to your spouse.
These worries are reasonable, but it’s crucial to remember that a healthy love relationship is possible. Follow your treatment plan and communicate openly for the highest chance of success in a new relationship.
How you can help
- Discuss your disorder with your partner: Do this before deciding to stay with that individual for a long time. Describe what people can expect if you change your mood. Telling them what you typically do to control your moods is also beneficial. This will prevent your partner from being shocked if you have a mood swing. They might even be able to assist you in overcoming it.
- Follow your treatment plan exactly: Perhaps adhering to your treatment plan is the best way to lessen relationship stress. This can lessen the severity of your mood swings and help you manage your symptoms. Talk to your partner about your treatment plan so they can keep you on track.
- Maintain a channel of communication open: So that they are not startled by a sudden change in your mood, let your partner know when you feel a change in mood coming on. Be receptive to them as well when they mention that they have noticed something “strange” about your mood. Others frequently notice changes in our mood before we do.
- Be truthful: Do not be afraid to tell your spouse if you are experiencing a severe episode and need assistance with your symptoms. For instance, rather than fabricating an excuse to stay home if you’re having a depressive episode and don’t feel like leaving the house, tell your partner about it.
More Ways You Can Help
- Inform yourself: When you begin a relationship with a person who has bipolar disorder, you should start with this. Read up on the disease to get a better idea of what your partner is going through and what you will be going through.
- Inquire about their expertise: Ask your partner how they handle mood swings and how they handle their moods. Asking them what you can do to support them during these episodes, if anything, is also helpful.
- Try to be tolerant: If your date plans are hampered by your partner’s mood swings, it can be frustrating. When things get difficult, take a deep breath and remind yourself that the disease, not your spouse, is the source of your annoyance. If you feel like you need a break, go for a walk around the block or spend the weekend apart from your partner.
- Be honest: Open communication with your partner is crucial. No of how you feel, never place the blame for their disorder on them.
- Assist with their care: Following their treatment plan gives your partner the best chance to control their disease. By encouraging them to follow the doctor’s recommended course of treatment, you can demonstrate your support for them.
- Seek assistance when you require it: You might occasionally require support in adjusting to your partner’s illness and the impact it’s having on your relationship. Ensure that you have a network of friends, family, and counselors who can offer guidance and inspiration when you need it.
Bipolar Symptoms in Men FAQs
What is a bipolar man like?
Bipolar disorder may have an impact on your partner’s capacity for effective work performance. Finding and keeping a job can be difficult when a person has severe mood swings, manic symptoms like poor judgment and impulsivity, or depressed symptoms like low energy and indifference.
When does bipolar develop in males?
Men with bipolar disorder may first experience a manic phase, whereas women are more likely to first go through a depressive phase. Although bipolar disorder can manifest at any age, it usually first appears around age 25.
