What is a Bipolar Manic Episode? Psychiatrist Explains

One of the patent signs of bipolar disorder is a manic episode. It refers to a prolonged period of abnormally elevated, irritable, or energised mood. Its symptoms include decreased need for sleep, rapid speech, racing thoughts, and high-risk impulsive behaviors. There is a common misconception that this is just a passing phase. In fact, a manic episode can be fatal if left unchecked. If you want to know what a bipolar manic episode feels like, its symptoms, causes, and types, then this article is for you.

To understand this better, we reached out to Dr Abhinit Kumar, Senior Consultant, Psychiatry, ShardaCare-Healthcity, Greater Noida.   

What is a Bipolar Manic Episode?

Let us first understand what a bipolar manic episode is. Dr Kumar says, “Most of us have days when we feel energetic, motivated, or unusually happy. A manic episode, however, is very different. It is one of the defining features of bipolar disorder, where a person's mood, energy, and activity levels become unusually high or irritable for several days, often affecting judgment and daily life.”

The expert further explains, “During a manic episode, a person may need very little sleep yet feel full of energy. They may talk rapidly, have racing thoughts, become overly confident, spend money impulsively, make unrealistic plans, or engage in risky behaviour. Some may feel unusually creative or productive, while others become easily distracted or irritable. In severe cases, they may lose touch with reality and develop false beliefs or hear voices.”

Is Bipolar Manic Episode Just a Phase?

It is important to understand that this is not just a passing phase. Explaining this, Dr Kumar says, “Mania is not simply a phase of happiness or a personality trait. It is a recognised mental health condition that can affect relationships, work, education, and finances if left untreated.” 

He adds, “The encouraging news is that bipolar disorder is treatable, and with early recognition, family support, and appropriate professional care, many individuals lead productive, successful, and fulfilling lives.”

Dr Kumar shares, “Because people experiencing mania often feel ‘better than ever’, they may not realise anything is wrong. Instead, family members, friends, or colleagues are usually the first to notice sudden behavioural changes.”

Signs of Bipolar Manic Episode

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), during manic episodes, an individual witness changes in mood and activities, which are accompanied by characteristic symptoms such as:

• Highly inflated sense of self-worth or self-esteem.
• Speaking quickly and rapidly, jumping from one idea to another.
• Having trouble focusing and getting easily distracted.
• Decreased need for sleep.
• Reckless or risk-taking behaviour. For instance, overspending, risky sexual activity, drinking, or harming oneself or others.
• Indulging in wrong beliefs or something that is false. For instance, ‘I am a very famous person’, ‘My neighbour is spying on me’ and so on.

Types and Causes of Bipolar Manic Episode

According to the Cleveland Clinic, these are the different types of a manic episode:

• Acute/severe mania (current episode): This refers to a very intense manic episode that may need urgent care or hospitalisation.
• Dysphoric: This involves having strong feelings of anxiety, anger, irritability or restlessness.
• Euphoric: In this case, the individuals may have a very high mood and energy. They may feel like they are on top of the world.
• Mixed features: In this scenario, the individual can have both mania and a few depression symptoms at the same time. For instance, they may have high energy, but also feel hopelessness. This combination can even raise the risk of suicide.
• Psychosis: This refers to having mania along with symptoms such as delusions (false beliefs) or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there).

The Cleveland Clinic further shares some of the possible causes of a manic episode:

• Genetic: Mania is said to have a strong genetic link. Many studies on biology and identical twins have discovered that genes play a major role in mania. However, genetics doesn’t explain everything.
• Brain differences: Brain scans have shown differences in how certain brain areas function. These include the amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia, prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate. These variations can affect your emotions, judgment and self-control during an episode.

Moreover, the report says that you may be more at risk of developing mania if you have:

• An underlying mental health condition.
• A family history of bipolar disorder.
• A brain injury, brain tumor or stroke.

Conclusion

A bipolar manic episode is a complex and severe mental health condition. It is marked by extreme shifts in mood, energy, and behaviour. Individuals experiencing manic episodes usually feel extremely productive or euphoric. However, this may quickly escalate and disrupt their daily lives, finances, and even relationships. Therefore, it is important to recognise the clinical signs such as a decreased need for sleep, rapid speech, and impulsive actions. This is the first important step toward managing the condition. With the right medical intervention, regular treatment, and strong family support, individuals with bipolar disorder can successfully navigate these manic episodes and lead fulfilling lives.