Being bipolar

Yeah, I know that the title of this post is kind of funny, but that's what I felt like writing today. A few weeks ago, somebody said that it was just crazy how "manic-depressive" I was. Well, of course that would be a word that would never cross my mind, as in Portuguese, that would be "maníaco-depressivo", and the word maniacal just doesn't sound right to me. But guess what! I decided to google it and found out that I was more "manic-depressive" than I ever thought I could be... (LOL)

According to wikipedia, "Manic-depressive disorder" is also called "Bipolar Disorder, and is a phychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with one or more depressive episodes.

Well, I know everyone says that it's normal having day-to-day ups and downs. Everybody feels extra excited about some stuff or upset for other issues. Yeah! But some people have their, let's say, internal "moodmeter" dysregulated. I know it's not technically a word, but I just used it as in analogy to a thermometer, which is used to measure the temperature, except for, in this case, it's used for moods. So, as I was saying, some people just don't notice how their mood behaves, and it switches from high (mania or, if milder, hypomania) to extremely down (depression) in a glimpse.

I have never actually been in tune with my own self, as to understand what I feel, connect the dots when I have a headache (for example, if it's related to what I eat (or don't), or lack of sleeping, or even PMSing), or know what my body needs. So I guess it's kind of evident that I don't notice that my moods are such a weird thing to understand. Sometimes, I'm just full of energy, ready to go, have a billion thoughts going on, talk non-stop, sing and dance. And then, out of nowhere, I just feel down in the dumps, don't want to get up from bed, just feel like staying in my own little world.

Oh well... it must be hard on people, I know... but I guess it's something that everyone might experience someday, as if you're not one, there's a high probability to come across someone who is. Apparently, if broadly defined (there are different types of the disorder - bipolar I, II, cyclothymia, NOS), about 4% of the population would experience it at some point of life.

So take it easy! Don't start misjudging people, saying they are overdramatic or take everything too seriously. It might be chemical (in their brains, something doesn't work properly)! Just try to understand each and every person as they are: simply UNIQUE!!!!