Emotional Pain in Bipolar Depression

Emotional Pain in Bipolar Depression Bipolar Disorder Symptoms Depression Print Emotional Pain in Bipolar Depression Bipolar Depression Symptoms - Part 3 By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial policy Marcia Purse Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on April 12, 2019 Bipolar Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children Your Rights Silvia Sanchez De Freitas/Moment/Getty Images Emotional pain isnt unique to depression. For example, all of the symptoms listed under this heading in Warning Signs of Depression can appear in times of grief. Individual symptoms or a cluster of them may be triggered by other events as well - job loss, divorce, a profound disappointment. If the symptoms continue too long, they may require treatment. But by themselves, these symptoms dont necessarily indicate the presence of major depression. Lets take a look at them: Emotional Pain Prolonged sadnessUnexplained, uncontrollable cryingFeelings of guiltFeelings of worthlessnessLoss of self-esteemDespair/hopelessnessHelplessness These symptoms, especially taken individually, are not unique to clinical depression. Feeling helpless, for example, may be a reasonable initial reaction to a difficult situation. In bipolar depression, however, a feeling of helplessness is likely to be: Combined with other types of emotional painCombined with other types of depressive symptomsProlonged beyond a reasonable timeMore severe than is reasonable As I said, any one or more of these symptoms could be a common reaction to a traumatic event. But if they dont get any better after a reasonable amount of time, are increasing in severity or are significantly impacting your functioning, you should seek help. One element that can differentiate bipolar depression from a more expectable emotional reaction, is that in a person suffering from a mood disorder, these symptoms may also occur spontaneously, without any clear triggering stress. At the same time, any stressful life event - be it sorrowful or even joyous - has the potential to set off a depressive episode in someone with major depression or bipolar disorder. Thus, it is particularly important to monitor someone with a history of depression, mania or hypomania after any kind of major life occurrence, such as divorce or marriage, a death or a birth.