What Triggers Bipolar Manic Episodes

What Is Bipolar Manic Episodes

Bipolar disorder, previously called manic depression, is a mental health condition causing extreme swings in mood, including highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). Bipolar I disorder is a mental health disorder where an individual has severe swings of mood, activity, energy, and capacity for clear thinking. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by extreme shifts between a manic and a depressive emotional state. Bipolar manic episodes generally happen first during the bipolar mood swing.

People with the disorder go back and forth between manic or hypomania, a mood state in which they are energetic and cheerful, or at times violent or delusional, and episodes of depression. Episodes of hypomania and depression are shorter and less intense than mania and depression caused by bipolar I or bipolar II. Some people with bipolar I disorder also have depressive or hypomanic episodes, and most people with bipolar I disorder also experience periods of neutral mood. A person with bipolar disorder will go through episodes of mania (highs) and experience episodes of depression (lows) at other times.

Bipolar I is marked by at least one mania episode, and the vast majority of people with bipolar I will also have significant depressive episodes. During manic episodes, individuals with bipolar I experience extreme increases in energy, and can feel on top of the world, or distressingly anxious. Bipolar II is characterized by one main depressive episode, plus one hypomania episode (which is less severe than complete mania) and periods of stable mood between. Hypomanic episodes do not reach the full extremes of mania (they usually do not produce major social or occupational impairments, nor are they psychotic), and this may make bipolar II harder to diagnose because hypomanic episodes can just seem like periods of high productivity that are succeeding, and are reported less often than a debilitating, debilitating depression.

Bipolar Disorder Manic Episodes

Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness causing abnormal changes in mood, from extreme highs (mania) to lows (depression). A person with bipolar disorder will experience episodes of mania (highs) while also experiencing episodes of depression (lows) at other times. Some people with bipolar disorder will also have episodes of depression or hypomanic episodes, and most people with bipolar disorder also experience periods of neutral mood. During manic episodes, people with bipolar I disorder feel an extreme surge in energy, and they can feel like they are at the top of the world, or they can be uncomfortably irritable.

People with bipolar disorder go back and forth between manic or hypomania–an emotional state in which they are energetic and cheerful, or at times violent or delusional–to having episodes of depression. Mania and hypomania are phases of bipolar disorder that are marked by high elevated emotions and behaviors, which are a sharp contrast from the depressive lower parts of the emotional cycle. Episodes of hypomania and depression are shorter and less intense than mania and depression caused by bipolar I or bipolar II disorders. Sometimes, individuals experience both mania and depressive symptoms during a single episode.

Severe bipolar episodes of manic or depressive disorder can involve psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions. Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive disease, is a mental disorder that causes individuals to experience periods of high moods and low moods. Although a person with bipolar disorder might feel the elevated moods of manic-depressive disorder appealing–especially when they come on top of a depressed feeling–the highs are not sustained at comfortable or controlled levels.

What Triggers Bipolar Manic Episodes

Early on in its course, episodes of depression or mania in bipolar disorder seem more likely to be initiated by stressful life events. In a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in June 2014, negative or stressful life events were associated with later mood changes.

Bipolar disorder, previously called manic depression, is a mental health condition causing extreme swings in mood, including highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). In the context of bipolar disorder, a mental disorder involving extreme swings in mood, a cycle is the period of time when an individual experiences one episode of mania or hypomania, and one episode of depression.

Stress is the primary driver behind many of the most common triggers of mood episodes in bipolar disorder, according to research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Another 2014 study found that high levels of stress or exposure to toxins, like metals or air pollutants, can trigger bipolar disorder in some people, too. Experts speculate that some factors, like chronic stress, may be driving the way genes associated with bipolar disorder decide how they want to express themselves.

Triggers That Cause Bipolar Manic Episodes

Sleep Disturbances

A change in a persons sleep pattern or the sleep is disruptive can trigger a bipolar manic episode. Sleep disturbances are very common in people with bipolar disorder and is one of the main triggers of a bipolar manic episode.

Some Antidepressant Medications

In most cases, a person who is being treated for bipolar disorder is also being treated for the depressive side of the bipolar. The problem is that some of these antidepressants can trigger a bipolar manic episode. Especially the serotonin type antidepressants so you have to be careful and not take a high dose of these medications to keep from triggering a manic episode.

Alcohol Drug Abuse and Medications

Another common type of trigger that can put a person in a manic episode is the use of alcohol or drugs. Even certain types of medications can bring on a manic episode. Especially if the medications and the alcohol and drugs are being over used or abused. Also if the drug is a stimulant it can trigger you into an immediate manic episode. To much alcohol can also trigger manic episodes in people who have bipolar disorder.

Seasonal Changes

Studies show that between 20 and 40 percent of people with bipolar disorder can be triggered into a manic episode by the changes of the season. Especially summer into fall and fall into winter. These seasonal changes affect people to the point that it triggers them into a manic episode followed by a depressive episode.

Stress Triggers

Stress is probably one of the main triggers of manic episode. The more severe the stress is, the more severe the manic episode is. Stress events can happen from work, marriage, relationships, finances and just everyday life but stress is defiantly one of the main triggers of manic disorder.

Caffeine

Yes caffeine is a trigger of manic disorders. Caffeine is a stimulate and over use of caffeine can put you into a manic episode. This includes coffee, energy drinks, energy shots and anything else that contains caffeine. Not only is it a stimulant but it can also disrupt your sleep pattern. Over use of caffeine can also affect how your medications are broken down in your body.

Bipolar Manic Episode Treatment

Doctors can prescribe medications for treating mania, and individuals may benefit from other treatments, such as talk therapy, to help manage their lives when they are experiencing mania. Your doctor may prescribe one medication or a combination of medications for the best effects. Some of the medications used to treat a bipolar manic episode include mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. Here are the main medications below used to treat manic episodes.

Mood Stabilizers

• Lithium
• Depakote
• Tegretol
• Lamictal

Antipsychotics

• Risperidone
• Seroquel
• Abilify
• Vraylar
• Zyprexa
• Geodon

These are just some of the main mood stabilizer’s and antipsychotics used to treat bipolar manic disorder. There are more bipolar manic medications on the market. You and your doctor will have to find the right medication regimen that works best for you.

Conclusion

These are just some of the main triggers of bipolar manic episodes. Once a person is in a bipolar manic episode, they will need hospitalization or need to see a doctor. It will take the right type of ,medications to bring the person out of the manic episode. If you or someone that you may know has bipolar episode please seek treatment immediately.