Can ordinary people diagnose depression, mania, and bipolar disorder on their own?

Review expert: Chen Mingxin, national second-level psychological counselor, senior human resources manager

In daily life, we often hear about depression, mania, and bipolar disorder, but many people do not have a deep understanding of them and even have confusion about them.

So, are depression, mania, and bipolar disorder the same? Can they coexist? Can ordinary people diagnose themselves?

Depression and mania are two different diseases

Depression and mania are well-known psychiatric diseases, both of which are affective disorders .

Affective disorders, also known as mood disorders, refer to a type of mental disorder with significant and persistent changes in mood (high or low) as the basic clinical manifestation, accompanied by corresponding abnormal thinking and behavior.

Although both are affective disorders, they are not the same disease.

Depression is a common psychological disorder and a typical condition of depressive disorder. Its causes and manifestations are relatively complex and are usually related to stressful life events, pessimistic personality traits, heavy drinking, drug abuse, genetic factors, biochemical factors, and environmental factors.

Patients with depression usually show negative emotions such as low mood, loss of interest, self-blame, inferiority and anxiety. They may lose interest in daily activities and have cognitive problems such as inattention, memory loss, difficulty in decision-making, as well as physiological symptoms such as insomnia or excessive sleep, decreased or increased appetite.

Depression not only affects the patient's mood, but may also lead to an overall decline in their physiological functions, cognitive functions, and social functions. If it is not treated promptly and effectively, it may increase the risk of suicide.

Mania Mania usually refers to a manic episode, which is an emotional disorder and a manifestation of mood disorder. It is usually related to genetic factors, neurochemical factors, neuroendocrine dysfunction, brain electrophysiological changes, and social and psychological factors.

The behavior and emotions of people with mania often exceed the normal range, showing an extreme state of excitement, which may recur and be intermittent. People with mania may also show excessive self-confidence, even grandiose imagination, unable to stop talking, racing thoughts, being too active in social situations, performing exceptionally well at work or school, or feeling agitated most of the time.

Depression and mania coexist

Bipolar disorder: manic-depressive illness

Depression and mania, one is a low mood and the other is an extremely excited mood. However, when these two seemingly opposite emotional states alternate or appear simultaneously in the same individual, they constitute a more complex mental illness - bipolar disorder , also known as manic -depressive illness .

The combination of mania and depression in bipolar disorder is actually called bipolar affective disorder (BD), which is commonly known as "manic depression". It is a common affective disorder with both manic or hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes.

Bipolar disorder Source: Healthy Zhejiang

Patients with bipolar disorder often give people a sense of moodiness. Because it combines the characteristics of depression, its impact on the body is more profound than depression. The abnormalities shown by the body after the disease also include some characteristics of depression. When depression occurs, people are pessimistic and desperate, worried and sad all day long. When mania occurs, they are confident, excited, energetic, and full of motivation...

The symptoms of bipolar disorder during the depressive and manic phases are complex and varied, mainly manifested as repeated, alternating, and irregular lows or highs .

Mood swings in bipolar disorder

●Depressive phase: low mood, loss of interest, decreased energy, fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep disorders, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, pessimism, decreased concentration, and in severe cases may be accompanied by psychotic symptoms such as auditory hallucinations and delusions.

● Manic phase: Elevated or irritable emotions, high energy, accelerated thinking and association, fast and fluent speech, inordinate self-esteem, difficulty concentrating, decreased need for sleep, increased impulsive and risky behaviors, and in severe cases, may be accompanied by psychotic symptoms.

Can ordinary people diagnose themselves?

Bipolar disorder is easily misdiagnosed as unipolar depression . If in addition to depression, the following situations also occur in life, you need to consider bipolar disorder and go to the hospital for treatment in time.

1. There are symptoms of depression and mania. During a depressive episode, the person is unhappy or heartbroken and has no interest in anything; during a manic episode, the person is energetic, impulsive and irritable.

2. Accompanied by sleep disorders. Specifically, during a depressive episode, not only will you suffer from insomnia, but you will also feel very tired during the day; during a manic episode, even if you sleep significantly less, you will still feel energetic, and your work and study efficiency will be significantly improved.

3. Depression lasts for more than 2 weeks, and mania lasts for more than 1 week. The patient has depression or mania for most of the day, or has mood swings like a roller coaster.

The diagnosis of mental illness is not a simple process. It requires mental health professionals to comprehensively evaluate the patient's medical history, symptoms, and behavioral manifestations. During the diagnostic process, it is equally important to rule out other diseases that may cause similar symptoms. It is not recommended for non-professionals to diagnose and treat themselves.