Self-Destruction and Manic Depression

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Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, can lead an individual through complicated and overwhelming emotions that sometimes lead to self-destructive behavior.

Self-injury and risky decision making can make bipolar disorder dangerous to your health and your life, but there is help available.

Symptoms of Mania and Depression

Bipolar disorder is the clinical name for manic depression. Although there are varying types of bipolar disorder, in most cases it causes episodes of mania followed by episodes of deep depression.

Mania can affect your life by causing the following symptoms:

  • Intense euphoria that may feel good at first but can lead to exhaustion
  • An increase in impulsive or poor decision making
  • An inability to pay attention to important details even when doing things like driving a car or working
  • Swings of intense happiness or intense anger that can change quickly
  • Feeling consistently on-edge

 

Symptoms of depression include the following:

  • Hopelessness and distress
  • Relationship, work and friendship problems
  • Unusually low energy level
  • Disrupted eating and sleeping patterns
  • Suicidal ideation or feelings that make you want to give up1

 

It is easy to see how bipolar disorder — or manic depression — can get out of control quickly.

>>> READ THIS NEXT: What To Do When Your Loved One Has a Manic Episode

Bipolar Disorder and Destructive Decision Making

Manic depression causes an overwhelming rush of emotions that make logical decision-making difficult. As long as bipolar disorder is untreated, there is a risk of making destructive choices that can lead to lasting consequences. A moment of anger can cause a violent rage that is out of character.

A week of severe depression can lead a person to quit his or her job, cut ties with friends or family or make other poor decisions. Mania may lead to an increase in drug or alcohol use, extramarital affairs, impulsive spending and driving and other destructive decisions.

Bipolar Disorder and Self-Injury

The intense feelings of bipolar disorder often lead manic-depressive people to seek relief by any means necessary. Some people struggle to cope and end up harming themselves to feel some relief of built-up tension through the release of pain.

Without thinking about the consequences, some bipolar people cut or burn themselves to inflict pain and injury. Self-harm is more common among bipolar people than the general population. In some situations, self-harm can lead to accidental suicide or serious injury.

Get Manic Depression Help Now

You can get help for your bipolar disorder today. We can help. Our toll-free helpline is a completely confidential resource to help you find treatment, speak with an admissions coordinator, gain support and more. We can help you find a program that can meet your needs, your insurance coverage and your desires. Please call 844-675-1221 now, and find out how we can help you.

 

Sources

1 “Bipolar Disorder.” National Institute of Mental Health, April 2016.

2 Goldberg, Joseph, “Bipolar Disorder and Self-Injury.” Web MD, February 20, 2018.

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