Manic episodes are an indicator of bipolar i and have a number of signs, the most notable of which is a denial of the individual suffering from bipolar disorder that there is a problem. As mania progresses it can become more and more extreme requiring hospitalization.
·An easy way to spot bipolar mania is to use the following mnemonic, DIGFAST:
·D = Distractibility (lack of concentration)
·I = Indiscretion (sexual promiscuity, gambling, drug use beyond normal behavior)
·G = Grandiosity – A feeling that one is on a special mission or chosen for a certain purpose. (that borders on irrationality)
·F = Flight of ideas (rapid flow of ideas that never come to fruition)
·A = Activity increased
·S = Sleep (not needed)
·T = Talkativeness (slurred fast speech)
Officially, a bipolar manic episode is a period of irritable or excited mood lasting for a week or longer with at least three of the symptoms above.
Psychosis can be a side effect of extreme mania and while rare, some people with bipolar disorder can experience hallucinations. For a bipolar to get to this point means they are at extreme risk of suicide as they have completely disconnected from reality.
Delusions are much more common during a high bipolar mania and bipolar individuals can think that they are on a special mission, or come up with dozens of business plans. Unlike hypomania, where bipolar disorder sufferers can be extremely creative and inventive, in mania the ideas are too grandiose and never come to fruition. They can cause a bipolar to leave their job, invest their life savings in a scheme, or spend everything on cheap junk.
Someone with bipolar entering into a psychotic phase may also believe they are being watched, that people are stealing from them, or that there is a government conspiracy out to get them.