6 Unusual Symptoms of Bipolar Depression

Sadness and lack of pleasure (dysthymia) are two of the most common manifestations of depression in bipolar disorder, but they aren't the only ones. When bipolar disorder reaches extreme levels, six other emotions can emerge and can be intense. Learning to recognize them in yourself or someone you know is crucial.

Irritability

Everyone gets cranky occasionally and often with good reason: a bad headache, a sleepless night, or an unexpected bill, for example. However, this garden-variety irritability can signal bipolar depression if it is out of proportion to its trigger. Depression alone also can cause persistent irritability that lasts for days or weeks at a time.

Anger

Anger is a natural, often reasonable response to day-to-day frustrations—for example, when a coworker is blatantly unfair or disrespectful. Anger also can be viewed as irritability that's been pushed to the person's limit.

Someone exhibiting anger as a symptom of bipolar depression may seem (or even say that they feel) angry for no reason. Feelings of anger may seem to erupt out of nowhere, but the person may have been thinking about the issue for some time. The anger can reach a tipping point over a seemingly harmless trigger.

If you or a loved one is experiencing anger that persists, is frightening, or escalates to violence, it's time to reach out to a doctor or therapist.

Worry and Anxiety

As with anger, anxiety is natural in many situations. Normally, these emotions disappear when the issue is resolved. When they persist or get worse, they can indicate a mental illness.

For example, someone might worry disproportionately about everyday concerns and routine aspects of daily life such as household tasks or their commute to work. Thoughts such as I have to call the plumber, but what if he can't come today? or I'd better leave early for my appointment in case the traffic is bad can stem from underlying anxiety and depression.

Anxiety can also make someone indecisive. They may enter into a cycle of thinking about what they need to accomplish but having difficulty committing to a solution. Some people with bipolar depression experience generalized anxiety and racing thoughts.

Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Pessimism

Sometimes, negativity or a pessimistic point of view is warranted. However, many people with bipolar depression turn this negativity inward, which chips away at their self-concept and sense of their abilities. For instance, they may look at a Help Wanted ad and think: There's no point in applying for that job—I would never get it.

A person with depression is impaired by negative, often critical, patterns of thought. They may not be able to see (let alone feel) that people like and care about them and that they are competent.

Self-Criticism

Being able to recognize and address flaws is an important aspect of growth, but taking this to an extreme can indicate a problem. Understanding that all humans have old habits and unhelpful patterns of thinking that affect their relationships, careers, and health is important—and recognizing how you might be getting in your own way is key to moving forward.

This critical self-talk comes from one's internal critic: The thought I look tired today becomes I'm ugly. The realization I made a slight miscalculation in my budget becomes I'm an idiot with numbers. A simple (and easily corrected) mistake may propel someone into a deluge of self-destructive thoughts. I forgot to feed the cat becomes I'm a bad pet owner, irresponsible, and a worthless person.

If you frequently berate yourself this way, depression may be talking rather than realistic self-criticism. Likewise, grappling with feelings of guilt (taking the blame for situations that are not your fault) may be a sign of underlying, perhaps even severe, depression.

Indifference

Simply put, indifference is not caring one way or the other. By that definition alone, indifference may not sound like a good feeling to have. Indifference certainly can cause problems, both in personal and professional relationships, as well as our relationship to the world around us.

For example, being indifferent to the suffering of others compromises empathy. Not caring about the outcome of a certain situation, or being apathetic, is often an indication that we've lost motivation.

However, it can be very useful in situations when it's necessary to push through without getting caught up in what others think or becoming distracted by your own feelings. Sometimes being indifferent is fairly benign: for instance, when a friend asks you where you want to have lunch, you may find you don't have a preference and would be content with any of the options.

It's important for you and your loved ones to know that in these instances, it's not that you don't care—you can't care because of the shell of indifference created by depression. You may notice your indifference affecting your relationships.

For example, a friend may come to you with a problem and rather than feeling engaged and compassionate toward them, you might find yourself sitting there silently or perhaps offering polite noises of agreement. Mostly, you just feel detached.

The various symptoms of bipolar depression can be challenging to identify, but the more you understand them the easier for you (and those around you) to recognize your patterns. Having an accurate diagnosis, support from a team of medical and mental health care professionals, and treatment that's effective for you will help you effectively manage your symptoms.

Learning to cope with any mental illness, including bipolar disorder, takes time. Keep in mind that it's a process–and one that you don't have to go through alone.