What are the starting signs of bipolar disorder?

Does anyone know the beginning signs of bipolar disorder? And how it is linked to schizophrenia? Do the two go hand in hand?

Bipolar disorder is most often first diagnosed during a manic episode. Mania has a lot of different signs/symptoms. For example, most manic people feel energized, feel little need for sleep. Other signs are: inflated/grandiose self-image, delusions/hallucinations, reckless/impulsive behavior (spending lots of money, promiscuous sex, etc.), racing thoughts, extreme irritability. There are more. It is often misdiagnosed because bipolar people are more likely to seek help while depressed and not while manic. Once a manic episode has been established or observed and there is also a history of depression, the person can be properly diagnosed and medicated.

There is another mental illness called schizoaffective disorder which is basically when a person has traits of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. There are many people with schizophrenia who do not experience the mood disturbaces of a bipolar person. There are also many bipolar people who don't experience the same psychotic symptoms as a schizophrenic. So, they don't always go hand-in-hand.

Hope that helps!

P.S. Don't let idiotic and ignorant comments get to you! Most people who say those things are just too self-righteous to open their eyes and see mental illness for what it is: A MEDICAL PROBLEM (just like cancer). Source(s): mental health worker

ICD-9 codes show the subtle differences and variances...

It begins... when it begins. more than not, it begins with some off the wall or out of character behavior that gets diagnosed. Which means you're maybe having a bad time in your life when someone comes along and drops a disease in your lap and you listen to them and do what they tell you to do, purely for a lack of understanding or knowledge.

and if people were willing to try, rather than medicate themselves half to death to retain some semblance of whatever the hell "normalcy" is? I'm sure they could go back to leading a perfectly healthy life.

People are sick because they want to be... Plain and simple. and many doctors take advantage of this fact rather than try and help it.
Well, I'm told by my dad that I'm bipolar. Its when your emotions are changed very quickly and you do tend to freak out.It is like being crazy, Schizophrenia. It happened yesterday where I was very happy it was my birthday, next thing I know; I'm getting mad at one of the customers at work and next thing I know again, my anger is boiling and boiling to the point where I don't know how to control myself to an extent.They do pretty much go hand in hand, if you have a bipolar disorder more than likely you will cry uncontrollably or get super mad.It is like going crazy,that's why they have the medication; that way some of the crazy ones don't have an attack that lands us in a straight jacket.Some times we are very overwelmed too when we are scared and nervous; it leads to hypertension, anxiety attacks,meltdowns. When you're happy, some people think that you're just some peppy cheerleader but they don't understand that if you get mad and upset, then there's no telling what you'll do.
http://www.schizophrenia.com/family/pers...

http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite...

They are two completely different disorders but a person can have both.
These are two separate form of diseases according to the "bible" (DSM IV) which is a controverstial piece of work. The similiarity is the drug prescribed. All of them are given the same drug to treat it....Zyprexa. Amazing!
there is none since there is no such thing.
each of the school shooters was on some kind of antidepressant - prozac, ritalin, etc.
still think they are safe?
and there is no test for chemical imbalance in the brain! the president of the american psychiatriac association said so on nationwide television!
http://end-psych-abuse.info for answers about psychiatry.
steer clear of such poisons!
http://alternativementalhealth.com... for real solutions