Mania or Depression

• A person with bipolar disorder will go from one extreme on the scale to another. Some days, he will experience mania, where he might feel either really grouchy or thrilled and excited about something. He may become very moody. If he is going through a manic episode, it may lead to poor decisions, such as total overspending or impulse buying. If he is on the other end of the scale and is very grouchy or sad, he may have a fit of rage. These episodes can affect how he functions with everyday responsibilities such as college, job and family life.
  
  

"Delusions of Grandeur"

• This symptom may include a general overconfidence in oneself; the patient may feel big-headed and have continual non-stop conversations. He may feel that he can do anything he wants or needs to do; there are no limits to what he feels he can do.
  
  

Darting Ideas

• As the patient talks nonstop, his ideas may jump all around, roving from one idea to the next. He never can finish discussing one idea before his mind is already jumping to the next, which leads to scattered discussions and conversations.
  
  

Loss of Focus

• With scattered thoughts comes loss of focus. Projects will tend to go unfinished because the patient loses focus and moves on to new ones. He will not be content with any one thing but become very agitated.
  
  

Pleasure Seeking

• Young adults can especially be affected by this symptom, which involves much risk. He may have impulsive purchases, even making really bad decisions with his money. However, this symptom may not just affect his wallet; it could also affect him physically. He may be promiscuous or get involved in dangerous activities that involve drugs, alcohol or other life-threatening situations, depending on the manic feelings he is experiencing at the time.
  
  

Depressive Feelings

• As the person comes out of a manic episode, her mood may drastically go down. She may start to feel anxious or sad. She also may feel unmotivated to perform everyday tasks.
  
  

Downward Spiral

• As the patient goes to the other side of the extreme, all the manic symptoms show up, only in a negative way. He may be fatigued or easily annoyed by things. He again has problems focusing on any one task and may be very indecisive. More importantly, his appetite or sleep patterns may be affected, which could potentially lead to serious problems, such as thoughts of hurting or killing himself.