How do you know if it you... or...

Hey all!

I was wondering how do you know if it mania/depression or normal life ups and downs?
Sure it's a bit easier to tell when it full on but what about warning signs? How do you know if it normal up and down or if it is the start of something more...

Lillyleaf

For me there are 3 tell tale signs besides my behaviour or energy levels...

The intensity of the emotions, my screwed up thought processes and the fact that my mood is random.

If these 3 are present I know I'm not just dealing with a normal daily life type of mood, and that things will start spiralling.

Mine always starts with way less sleep than would be humanly possible and a supercharge in energy

Its the energy level for me. I can tell what it is by how my body feels. I do not get the energy fluctuations in normal life ups and downs.

Thought patterns changing is another one. I journal a lot so i can see when the thoughts start to change.

Paranoia, OCD and anxiety sometimes warn me that a mood change is coming.

I do not rapid cycle, so my bipolar moods need to last at least 2 weeks, if they do not last 2 weeks they do not constitute a bipolar mood. If they are triggered by anything I also do not count them as BP unless it spirals into months long episodes.