Patients with the disease, however, may experience symptoms in very different ways. One interesting study reported that bipolar patients often experienced dreams of death at the low point of their depression, and these dreams were soon followed by an upward mood change. Symptoms of Mania A manic episode usually comes on suddenly, and it often, but not always, follows a period of severe depression. An episode lasts for at least a week and can continue for months. Friends and family members of a person with bipolar disorder who is entering a manic phase for the first time may be relieved at first by the patient's increased energy level, gaiety, and sociability.
Irritability is most often the first noticeable change in behavior at the onset of a manic phase.
Some patients experience intense sexual energy or a marked increase in strength. Patients with hypomania do not have severely impaired functioning and generally do not require hospitalization. Between one and two million Americans are thought to suffer from bipolar disorder. There is some indication that the incidence of bipolar disorder may be increasing, but more research is needed to confirm this. Bipolar disorder affects both sexes equally, but women are about three times more likely to experience rapid cycling.