What Is Mania in Bipolar Disorder?

By Health.com
Updated: December 30, 2010
Descriptions of mania and bipolar disorder behaviors and symptoms.
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Understanding mania in bipolar disorder

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Bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depression, affects nearly 6 million American adults, or about 2.5% of the adult population. Most people with this disorder swing from depression to manic states.

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Mania symptom: increased energy and mental activity

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And who wouldn't like to experience this effect? One of the reasons some people with bipolar disorder don't like the mood-flattening medication is that they miss this perk, which almost always ends with a corresponding depression.

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Mania symptom: exaggerated self-confidence

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We're not saying this guy has mania, but some people with bipolar disorder do experience a heightened mood and super self-confidence during their "highs."
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Mania symptom: aggressive behavior

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Road rage can happen to anyone. However, sufferers of bipolar disorder will almost certainly experience excessive irritability or aggressive behavior during manic phases.

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Mania symptom: sleeplessness

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We're not talking garden variety insomnia here. People with bipolar disorder sometimes experience a decreased need for sleep without fatigue during their manic phases, and feel much more productive.

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Mania symptom: grandiosity

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It's fine to have high self-esteem, but during a manic phase people with bipolar disorder sometimes experience grandiose thoughts and an inflated sense of self-importance.
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Mania symptom: racing speech and thoughts

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You know how some people talk and think so fast you can hardly follow what they are saying? During a manic phase, people with bipolar disorder sometimes experience racing speech, racing thoughts, and a flight of ideas.

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Mania symptom: dangerous behavior

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Experts who deal with people with bipolar disorder tell incredible tales of risk-taking during the manic phase, from inappropriate sexual behavior to stealing cars. Impulsiveness, poor judgment, and distractibility are all hallmarks of mania.

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Mania symptom: displaying reckless behavior

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We're not implying here that this streaker is bipolar, but people with bipolar disorder can display reckless behavior during a manic phase. They lack the internal censor that tells healthy people how to curb their actions. 
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Mania symptom: hallucinations

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In the most severe cases, people with bipolar disorder can experience delusions and hallucinations.

Source: Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
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