Is a bipolar person aware of their actions?

Bipolarity is a diagnosis established in people with highly changeable behaviors in short periods of time. Although it is true that each person is unique, there is a pattern of behavior that is repeated in cases of bipolarity. But, do the people who suffer from it have the notion of what they do and what are the consequences of their actions?

If you want to understand how the mind of a bipolar person works and why they would do something without knowing it, you We recommend reading this article from Psychology-Online, in which we will provide you with information about whether a bipolar person is aware of their actions and the consequences that not being aware of what you do can have.

Index

1. Are people with bipolar disorder aware of their actions?
2. How does the mind of a bipolar person work?
3. Adverse effects of having bipolarity and not being aware of what you do

According to the DSM-V^[1]

• manic phase: increased self-esteem, flight of ideas, decreased need for sleep, ease of distraction, impulsiveness and lack of limits.
• depressive phase: total lack of interest, weight loss or gain, sleep disturbances, fatigue, lack of concentration to think and recurring catastrophic thoughts.

So, is a bipolar person aware of their actions? The truth is that individuals with bipolar disorder They are not aware of their actions, since, both in the manic and depressive phases, they manifest involuntary behaviors of which they are not aware. In this article you will find more information about how to know if someone is bipolar.

Despite the fact that the individual manifests some of the symptoms mentioned above, it is important that the diagnosis be carried out by a professional of mental health that I evaluated each case in a personalized way.

In order to better understand the fact that someone with bipolar is unaware of their actions, it is necessary to analyze how the mind of a person diagnosed with this disorder works. In fact, it is necessary to take into account the biological factor, since they establish neural connections involved in thoughts, emotions and behaviors.

What goes through the mind of a person with bipolarity? Next, we will see which parts of the brain are altered by bipolar disorder:

• Cerebral cortex: suffers alterations during manic episodes. Being more specific, this area of ​​the brain tends to shorten in these phases of bipolar disorder. Hence the symptoms of impulsiveness and lack of control over emotions.
• Ventricles of the brain: Compared to people who do not have this clinical picture, bipolarity produces an enlargement of the ventricles of the brain. Among the many functions it performs, the brain ventricular system maintains emotional stability, so if it is disturbed, it can cause a destabilization of one's emotions.

As we have seen, people with bipolar disorder are unaware of their actions, which can lead to serious consequences that affect both oneself and the social environment. What is a bipolar person capable of doing? Next, discover what are the adverse effects of having bipolarity and not being aware of what you do:

• social instability: emotional disturbances deteriorate the closest social ties. A bipolar person oscillates between the depressive phase, with symptoms such as constant lack of communication, apathy, isolation and disinterest, and the manic phase, in which you may experience bouts of anger, difficulty listening, lack of reflection, and a lack of empathy.
• unfinished projects: both in the manic and depressive phase, it is common for the person to leave unresolved projects in areas such as work, student, family, etc.
• put life at risk: the inability to reflect on what could be the complications of carrying out certain actions, can put the person's life at risk.
• Physical or psychological aggression to third parties: in some circumstances, the impulsivity produced by bipolarity can cause physical and psychological damage to people in the closest environment. Lack of awareness causes bipolar people to not realize the consequences of their actions.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Is a bipolar person aware of their actions?, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.

1. American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition). Arlington: Panamerican Medical Editorial.

• Martínez Hernández, O., Montalván Martínez, O., Betancourt Izquierdo, Y. (2019). Bipolar disorder. Clinical and epidemiological considerations. Electronic Medical Journal, 41 (2), 467-482.
• Tarragón, M., Miquel, M. (2011). Bipolar Disorder: A Disorder of Circadian Regulation? Journal of Neurobiology, 2 (4), 1-15.