Winston Churchill used to refer to it as his “black dog.” When haunted by this problem, Churchill would undergo manic phases of intense productivity.

Florence Nightingale, the noted nurse and statistician, would hear voices in her head. During her teens, and early 20’s, she would experience severe depressive episodes as a result of this problem.

One of the most popular among the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh, is one titled “The Starry Night.” This painting is said to depict the extreme highs and lows that Van-Gogh suffered as a result of this disorder.

These are but a few of the great and well-known personalities of both past and present that have displayed a symptom of bipolar disorder. It is no surprise that bipolar disorder, as the sixth largest cause of disability in the world, has affected, and continues to affect a great many individuals. It is a disorder that causes its sufferers to experience extreme changes in mood that can rapidly shift from manic episodes of intense energy levels, to an extremely depressed condition.

While bipolar disorder, particularly those cases classified as Bipolar I, can greatly hamper a person’s ability to function normally, all is not lost. People suffering from bipolar disorder can still live relatively normal lives. An accurate diagnosis by a trained professional in this area, is essential to helping a person achieve a normal life. An accurate diagnosis will lead to an accurate prognosis, which in turn will lead to appropriate treatment.

However, a person must first be able to recognize that they are in fact experiencing a symptom of bipolar disorder. It is this recognition of a bipolar symptom that will lead them to seek medical attention. Here are some symptoms of bipolar disorder to look for in yourself, or a person you know who may be suffering from bipolar disorder:

Symptoms Of A Manic Episode

- Feeling unusually happy and optimistic: feeling “high”

- The inability to sleep, or the feeling of a decreased need for sleep

- Sudden feelings of anger, aggression, provocation, and intrusion

- A sudden increase in creativity and productivity due to an abnormally high energy level

- Feeling extremely distracted and unable to concentrate of focus

- Experiencing delusions or hallucinations

- Involvement in dangerous or high-risk activities such as drug use or alcohol abuse

- Increased recklessness as a result of impaired judgment

Symptoms Of A Depressive Episode

- Extreme feelings of sadness and pessimism

- Displaying a lack of interest in the surroundings, or in the participation of pleasure activities

- Feeling a sense of worthlessness

- Becoming, without provocation, extremely angry, irritable, and anxious

- Considering the possibility of taking one’s own life

- Struggling just to get out of bed in the morning, and generally displaying decreased levels of energy

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