Bipolar Disorder And Psychosis
When the person is in a manic episode due to his bipolar disorder, it can be frightening for you. This is especially true if the episode involves the presence of psychosis.
Psychosis is a break with reality. It can occur during a manic episode of bipolar disorder or even with a depressive episode. While psychotic behavior may appear random, frightening and even bizarre at times, it's a normal symptom for many individuals who are suffering with bipolar disorder.
Therefore, it helps to have a general understanding of psychotic symptoms. When your loved one with bipolar disorder is experiencing psychotic symptoms, their world is one of an intense "unreality." A person afflicted with bipolar disorder suffering with psychotic symptoms has no organized system of thinking.
Not only that, but your loved one with bipolar disorder may exercise very poor judgment when experiencing psychotic symptoms. This is also often accompanied by intense fear or an extreme anxiety. Your loved one with bipolar disorder is undoubtedly in a confused state; the ability to reason, at this point, just doesn't exist within his world.
But even more than that, the thinking process of your loved one with bipolar disorder is totally changed as well. He may be thinking very odd or bizarre thoughts. His behavior reflects the psychotic state he's experiencing as well. It's important to keep in mind that if your loved one who suffers with bipolar disorder says or does something that is totally unrealistic or frightening to you, talk to his doctor about the presence of psychosis.
One of the manifestations of psychosis in a person with bipolar disorder occurs in the form of delusions. Specifically a delusion is a highly unrealistic belief. Good examples of delusions include the belief that a person has been chosen to be an important messenger from God (many said that Joan of Arc suffered from delusions) or that a person's life has been cursed by Satan.
One variation of a delusion is called a somatic delusion. This occurs most often in those individuals suffering a depressive episode of bipolar disorder. In this form of delusion, the individual believes that he is suffering from a severe health problems. In some instances, individuals with bipolar disorder believe that their internal organs are rotting away.
When a person with bipolar disorder suffers from the psychotic symptoms of delusions, you need to remember that this is an unshakable belief to them - not just a hunch or a vague fear. The individual with bipolar disorder at this point has completely lost his ability to recognize that his thinking is, in fact, irrational. That means, as a person who loves and tries to help a person with bipolar disorder, you are not in a position to try to reason with this individual.
