What is Bipolar Disorder?

What is BiPolar Disorder? In this video, MedCircle host, Kyle Kittleson, and double board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Dominic Sportelli, regularly treats patients with BiPolar Disorder and discusses what you need to know.

He also answers:
What is bipolar 1 disorder?
What is bipolar 2 disorder?
How are they different?
What do manic episodes look like?
What are the symptoms of mania?
What do hypomanic episodes look like?
What are the symptoms of hypomania?
Why are there misconceptions around the mood swings that accompany bipolar disorder?
How is bipolar depression different than major depression?

#BipolarDisorder #MentalHealth #MedCircle #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #bipolardisorderawareness #bipolar1 #bipolar2

[tinamarie]

I've been diagnosed with bipolar 2 for over 10 yrs. Now.. I don't wish this mental illness on anyone.. Be kind💙 you don't know who's suffering.

[yesyes-ewhl]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

[tatumsfarm]

3 decades in to BP2. I feel like a survivor. God bless all of you out there like me. Wouldn't wish it on anyone.

[laurapea]

1. Distractability - cannot sit still or finish any task
2. Imulsovity - doing things without thinking, rash thinking
3. Grandiosity - inflated sense of self
4. Flight of ideas - deas coming out one after the other very quickly
5. Agitation or activity level increase
6. Tending to not need sleep
7. Rapid and pressured speech

[LostHope]

As someone whose been diagnosed with bipolar twice, he really explained it perfectly. Such a terrible disorder.

[skettistraps]

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was 16. But what I do realize now that I'm older, lots of my lashing out & personality changes were definitely caused by my family in how the way they treated me.
Now that I'm older & have separated myself from the negativity I see how much happiness has came into my life, I love it. Most of the time you don't need to take medication, all you have to do is separate yourself from all the negative energy.

[jamesr]

People have to STOP making fun of mental illness.

[nicholasicetrain]

I went almost 6 months in mania. I bought 2 new cars, married with 2 kids and I moved out, switched jobs twice, slept maybe 2 hours per night, and the list goes on…. I got onto mood stabilizers and it was a light switch that turned my manic phase off. I liked being in mania but my life around me was a constant train wreck. My life is mostly back to normal with my family and friends support.

[Jennifer-bwku]

Psilocybin containing mushrooms saved my life. The drastically reduced my benzodiazepine withdrawal allowing me to quite illicit pill addiction after three years of heavy daily use before it would had became medically dangerous to quit. It has also helped me survive depression.

[magdalenafredriksson]

I'm 23 today and was diagnosed when I was 16 I have bipolar type 2. I tried to commit suicide when I was 17. I also have ocd and GAD sometimes it's still so hard and I really struggle sometimes but I have good medcines for my bipolar disorder I workout and eat good and sleep okey depending on how I feel but it's a lot better then it used to be. I have really good people around me that really cares about me so i feel safe. But damn. Bipolar disorder is ROUGH! I never thought I would live to see 20 but I'm 23 today and still here so i'm proud that i keep on fighting for myself.

[spencerpierce]

Me *is bipolar*
Me *watches this video like i have no idea bipolar existed*

[kimberlymerritt]

My husband has bipolar disorder and the last 2 years have been rough. Attempted suicide and hospitalization. I feel like I have to be hyper vigilant watching his moods and looking for warning signs of an oncoming episode. It's exhausting for everyone involved. I'm thankful for these videos.

[ryanhoskins]

*Dr. Sportelli speaks so compassionately for the people & intelligently about the condition, it shows true dedication on his side of things; using simplified terms & examples to inform. I learned a lot*

[dnd]

I'm a psychiatrist, and I thank you SO much for using this platform to explain the difference between mood lability (so often seen with character pathology) and true bipolar disorder.

[donnastitz]

I have bipolar 1. I started at 20 yrs old & am now 65. In my 40's, I actually thought I was much more beautiful than all the super models. I am 5'2" & had given birth to 3 children :/ Because of the tings I did during that full blown mania that hurt my family so bad, is when I crashed, I did DIE by suicide because of the guilt. I was in a coma. It is hell, & there is no cure, BUT I keep working on this, "ONE DAY AT A TIME."

[heko]

His description of bipolar 1 is a 100% accurate representation of mania. My manic episodes historically have lasted for 3-6 months. It’s so exhilarating & I feel like I am capable of unlimited potential. Yes I have believed I need to save the world. I start new businesses & I take on simultaneous projects that I have no track record in completing.
Then the mania ends.
The magical neuro-chemical superpowers have depleted.
The absolute terror now becomes realised that the original inspiration & motivation has actually been mostly delusional & grandiosity.
It’s a living nightmare every time to experience the embarrassment & public humiliation that I create when having an episode.
But the reality for me has been probably 20% mania versus 80% depression.
Haunted by the destruction of a life in chaos.
It’s a loneliness I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
A vacuum & a void I can’t even describe.
The depressive aspect of bipolarity is hard to survive.
Thank you for the clarity in this video.
I have stories to tell that can blow peoples minds with respect to my experiences in mania.
Beautiful & magical, certainly not all bad or all delusional.
But the most honest assessment is that this illness has devastated my life in every area possible over time.
Medications are very effective for some people, but not for everyone, including myself.
Sending my love to anyone else that suffers with bipolar disorder & also to the families & loved ones that have to carry the burden of a baffling reality they will never fully understand….❤️

[KristenVale]

Bipolar 2 here, and it’s so exhausting. The depressive periods are the worst vs the mania. But going to enough counseling and understanding what your warning signs are of your mania AND depression about to spike can make huge differences for yourself and the people around you

[codyferguson]

All of my life I've struggled with depression and anxiety. I also experience episodes of mania. I've always known that there was something going on with my mental health, but I never had the courage to reach out for help. Once I did, I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, and everything made sense. I was actually relieved to know that I was right all along, but also, I felt ashamed because the stigma attached to mental health disorders. Working with my BHC has helped a lot. She helps me walk through the process of managing Bipolar disorder. She also is very open and understanding to my emotions of transitioning into this state of mind that accepts that I do have Bipolar Disorder. That, more than anything, helped me feel comfortable enough to continue reaching out for help. I can't stress enough, if you know there is something off with your mental health, find the courage within you to reach out for help. It may be hard and scary to do so, but it is a necessary step towards progress. I heard a lot of people make fun of Bipolar Disorder, and that needs to stop. Don't be ashamed of having a mental health disordered, instead, take the necessary steps toward managing them, and teach people who have narrow minds about the topic along the way.

[chrisallen]

Dr. Sportelli comes across as such a gentleman, his voice, appearance, dress and ability to describe the illness, much like a Mr. Rogers. This is a compliment. How many of us felt such a peace and hope when we visited Mr. Rogers as children. Especially those whose family life was less than stable or safe.

[tsunamistudio]

"Being upset doesn't mean you have bipolar disorder." No one should make a diagnose without a careful research. Psyciatrists in Argentina would say you are depressed when you just need money to eat and be treated like a human. You cannot judge somone after being one day with them. Mental health needs better awareness. Also, having insomnia doesn't mean you are bipolar. It means you are living with high levels of stress