Bipolar disorder is also know as manic-depressive illness. The main symptoms of bipolar disorder is an unusual shift in mood, activity levels, energy levels and the inability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

Bipolar is a very destructive illness as it damages relationships, effects your job and school performance and can even lead to suicidal thoughts or actions. Bipolar is not caused by anything specific but usually runs in the family. If your mother, father or sibling has bipolar disorder you are quite likely to also develop this illness, thus you should know the signs and symptoms to ensure you are ready before any damage is done.

When a person is bipolar they may experience one of the following “mood episodes” where they will be overly joyful or overexcited, these are called manic episodes. When they experience an extreme sad or hopeless state it is called a depressive episode. These are the two mood episodes a person with Bipolar will experience. Listed below are the types of mood and behavior changes in manic episodes as well as depressive episodes.

Symptoms of manic episodes:

Mood changes

• A long period where you will feel overly happy or if you are more outgoing than usual to being extremely  irritable.

Behavior changes

• When you start talking very fast and start jumping between subjects.
• When you are easily distracted
• When you increase activity levels. You might start taking on new projects
• Not getting tired easily or not sleeping a lot.
• Behaving impulsively or engaging in high-risk behaviors.

Symptoms of depressive episodes

Mood changes

• When you feel sad or hopeless for a long period of time
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed.

Behavior changes

• Feeling tired
• Having trouble concentrating, remembering or making decisions.
• Being restless or irritable
• Changing habits such as sleeping, eating etc.
• When you have suicidal tendencies or think about death often

You can also have bipolar but have less severe symptoms. This is called a hypomanic episode where you feel very good, you are highly productive and may seem to function well. You might not see your symptoms but people close to you will notice these types of symptoms. Even though it may seem difficult, listen to those around you and have the necessary tests done to either exclude bipolar disorder or to get your diagnosis together with necessary medical assistance.

If you believe that there is a possibility that you might be bipolar don’t run directly to your doctor. Bipolar disorder is a very serious decease. The medication taken for this illness has numerous negative effects especially for those taking medication when not bipolar. Before visiting a specialist it might be a good idea to start a journal. In this journal you can make records of everyday life. What you feel, do, eat and experience. Keep this journal for about 3-4 months. Read through your journal and try to figure out if there are any patterns. Your mood swings may be due to bad eating habits for example too much sugar, junk food or not eating enough. Girls can record their menstrual cycles, if you are depressed or have severe mood swings you may have trouble with a hormone imbalance. When you think you may have found the cause of your emotional instability, take this journal with to your doctor, specialist or gynecologist. Explain to them what you have been feeling and show them your journal. This way your Doctor will be able to test and diagnose you quicker.

If you have bipolar disorder or if you are having some of the symptoms listed above you should start your road to a better healthier life by getting at least 30 min of exercise per day, even if it is taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Keeping active helps with blood circulation. By eating fresh fruit and veg each day you will strengthen your immune system and improve your general health. You can also achieve this by getting ozone therapy. An ozone sauna puts oxygen back into the bloodstream by the use of steam. By doing this your organs will get a turbo boost and will it result in an overall healthier you. Ozone therapy boosts blood circulation, kills bacteria, enhance vitamin and mineral absorption during digestion, detox the body, improves sleep and lightens signs of stress and depression.

Just remember always to eat right, exercise and enjoy life by doing the things that make you happy.