Bipolar Emergencies And Suicide Prevention

There are both physiological and psychological emergencies that may occur when an individual suffers from bipolar disorder. When a person experiences high levels of mania, for example, they may start engaging in behaviors that are considered to be risky or completely dangerous.

Gambling, alcohol abuse, drug use, and even things like overspending may occur when an individual is in a state of mania. The person that experiences extreme lows as in depression may not get the proper nutrition, the right amount of exercise, or the right amount of sleep - as a result, the immunity is weakened, and the body is in a constant state of "survival".

Bipolar Emergencies

If you have bipolar disorder you may not always recognize when the serious symptoms of this mental illness are occurring. It is essential that you have a plan in place with the help of your friends and loved ones so that they will be able to recognize any signs that may require an immediate medical assessment.

Educate them on the symptoms of mania and depression that can accompany this disorder because if these symptoms are caught in the very early stages it can prevent them from escalating to the much more serious symptoms such as psychosis or suicide which can occur.

Suicide Risks of Bipolar Disorder

It is a well known fact that individuals who have a bipolar disorder are at an extremely high risk for committing suicide. Studies have shown that ten to twenty percent of these individual are successful in killing themselves on an annual basis. Suicidal thoughts can occur in both manic and depression episodes of bipolar disorder, however, it is very possible to control these symptoms of the disorder with the proper medical treatment.

When anyone with a mental illness is showing signs of depression and expressing or showing any type of suicidal tendencies, it is imperative that you seek emergency medical assistance as this can prevent a tragic situation from occurring.