What are manic symptoms?

Manic symptoms are one aspect of bipolar disorder, a psychological condition that consists of severe mood swings between mania and depression.

People diagnosed with bipolar disorder alternate between extreme “highs” of exhilaration and severe “lows” of depression. Sometimes a patient with bipolar disorder may have manic and depressive symptoms simultaneously; this is called a “mixed” state. Other people with bipolar disorder might have less dramatic symptoms of mania; this is called hypomania.

Manic symptoms may be confusing because a person experiencing them may appear to be very happy, energetic and confident. This happiness and confidence may seem to be “over the top” — the person’s euphoria may appear to family and close friends to be extreme and sudden.

In addition, bipolar disorder patients in a manic state may be more prone to reckless or pleasure-seeking behaviors, which can lead to serious errors in judgment. Eventually, the sufferer will cycle back into depression, which may seem as all-encompassing as the mania that preceded it.

A very severe form of bipolar disorder is called rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. A person is defined as having rapid-cycling bipolar disorder when they have had four or more episodes of depression, mania, hypomania, or mixed state symptoms within 1 year.

Bipolar disorder usually first appears during the teenage and young adult years, with about half of all cases developing when a person is aged 15 to 25 years.

In addition to feeling an exaggerated sense of euphoria, a person with manic symptoms may exhibit some or all of the following behaviors:

talking or moving very quickly; a sense of being “sped up,” inability to focus on one topic;
irritability and trouble controlling temper;
decreased need for sleep;
increased talkativeness;
poor judgment;
poor self-control and a tendency for high-risk behaviors, including drinking, drug use, sexual promiscuity or reckless spending;
a false or exaggerated sense of self; overconfidence and excessive self-esteem.

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When manic symptoms change to depression symptoms, the person may behave in ways that are in stark contrast to the manic symptoms. For example, instead of seeming overly confident and energetic, the person may seem very fatigued, with a low self-esteem and a sense of hopelessness. While a person in the midst of a manic episode may be very sociable and outgoing, the same person may withdraw from friends or family while depressed.

The timeline for manic/depressive cycles tends to vary between patients. For some people, the two states can fluctuate very quickly, as often as multiple times weekly.

In severe bipolar disorder states, a person also might have psychotic symptoms. Psychosis is a state of being disconnected from reality. This might mean having false thoughts about oneself or others; or having visual or auditory hallucinations.

Manic symptoms are managed as part of overall bipolar disorder treatment. This might include medication, talk therapy, or support groups. Severe cases of bipolar disorder also may benefit from electroconvulsive therapy. Although recurring episodes are common in bipolar disorder patients, the condition usually can be managed successfully with treatment and support.

Editor's Note: This story was updated on April 6, 2021, to remove use of BPD, an acronym for borderline personality disorder.

Additional information can be found by searching the following websites:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001924/

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml

http://www.nami.org/factsheets/bipolardisorder_factsheet.pdf