Category: Mental Health

*  Euphoria. The person feels “on top of the world.” Nothing, not even a tragedy, changes these extreme feelings of happiness. These feelings are out of proportion to an event or come with no apparent reason. They can last a long time.

*  Hyperactivity. The person can do a great number of things and show little need for sleep.

*  Flight of ideas. The person’s thoughts race from one thing to another. When they talk, words come out in a non-stop rush of ideas that quickly change from topic to topic. They may be hard to understand.

*  Loss of restraint and lack of judgement. The person may take part in high risk activities, such as reckless driving or even jumping off a building because they don’t think they’ll be harmed. The person may also go on spending sprees or make foolish decisions about money.

*  Paranoia, delusions, and/or hallucinations in some people.

*  Suicide attempts. Thoughts of death or suicide.

*  Feelings of prolonged sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, total indifference

*  Inability to concentrate or remember things

*  Crying spells

*  Withdrawal from activities the person used to enjoy

*  Jumpiness or irritability

*  Medications – Drugs, such as lithium are very effective in controlling the manic episodes and lessen the severity of the depressive episodes. They act to prevent the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes.

*  Hospitalization – This may be needed when mania or depression are out of control or keep the person from functioning.

*  Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) – Electric shocks to the brain are sometimes used in treating very severe depressive episodes that do not respond to medication.

*  Therapy – Professional counseling is useful with medication in treating this disorder. It can give support to the patient and their family, as well as, educate them about the illness. Therapy can be in many forms – individual psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and support or group therapy.

*  Ruined personal and social relationships

*  Loss of employment, flunking out of school, disability, and/or legal problems

*  Increased paranoia and hallucinations

*  Suicide

*  First, point the person towards treatment by making them aware of unusual episodes of high/low behavior that will simply not go away on their own.

*  Some people need to be taken to a hospital during a severe depressive or manic episode because of suicide attempts or other dangerous/anti-social behavior. They may need to be hospitalized at this time for their own protection.

*  Offer your support and encouragement as it often takes a period of time to determine what types of treatment are best for each patient.

*  Encourage your friend or relative to take any medication prescribed by their doctor even when they feel well and are not having periods of “highs” or “lows.” Look for side effects of the medicine and let them know what you notice and/or tell their doctor. The doctor can also tell you what side effects to expect.

*  “Forgetting” to do something on purpose

*  Making a habit of putting off or being late with social and/or job tasks

*  Failing to do one’s share of the work or doing sub-standard work on purpose

*  Having a constant negative attitude

*  Criticizing authority figures, not openly, but in subtle ways

*  Is irritable, defensive, and resentful

*  Lacks self-confidence

*  Has a hard time getting pleasure from relationships with others

*  Feels others are making unreasonable demands on him or her, but thinks he or she is doing a better job than what they are given credit for

*  Blames others for his or her problems

*  Is not aware that his or her self-defeating behaviors are part of their personality

*  Take an assertiveness training course – these are offered at many hospitals, colleges, high schools, churches, and community education programs. Assertiveness training can help you express your feelings in the proper manner instead of using “hidden aggression.”

*  Stand back and try to look at your problems in an objective way. Determine if your own actions contribute to your problems, not the actions of everyone else.

*  Confront your problems. Make your needs, desires, and feelings known to others instead of holding them in. Do this for one problem at a time. For example, if you stall on doing a project:

– Break it down into smaller parts.

– Make a check list to complete each part and check each item off as it is completed.

– Give yourself a meaningful reward with each item checked off.

– Focus on pleasing yourself with each completed task, not making someone else mad if the task is not done.

*  Learn to recognize the signs of a Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder. If you think that your friend or relative may have this disorder, encourage them to see their physician or counselor. Do so in a caring and assertive way. Let the person’s physician know about your observations if you are the person’s parent or spouse.

*  Encourage the person to take an assertiveness training course or other course that teaches effective ways to communicate.

*  Don’t make excuses for your friend’s or relative’s behavior. Don’t do their work for them or “bail them out” when they do not take care of their own responsibilities.