Welcome back. I'm Dr. Ellen Hendrickson. Every week I'll help you meet life's challenges with

evidence-based research, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment. We'll use the best of psychology to help you be

happy, healthy, and most importantly, yourself. Bipolar is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days, often in a demeaning way

as shorthand for indecisive or inconsistent. But true bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic

depression, is quite distinct. So this week we'll take a look at seven signs of mania,

the signature of bipolar disorder by special request from

listener Robin from Iowa.

Individuals living with bipolar disorder often feel well and function just fine, but during an episode their

mood and behavior swings to the manic or the depressive end of the spectrum, each of which is

drastically different than their usual self.

During an episode, people living with bipolar disorder are most often depressed,

but some time may be spent in a manic state and it's this presence of mania that sets

bipolar disorder apart from plain old depression.

So how to recognize mania?

Look for these seven signs. Sign number one is euphoria.

Now we've all felt giddy at one time or another, an extra spring in your step or just high on life. Now, amplify that, not just with a microphone,

but through a stadium concert sound system. You are literally shouting from the rooftops. Sign number two, grandiosity.

Nothing is impossible for you.

No one is better qualified.

You're a genius.

You're convinced your 3 a.m. scribblings will go down in history as on par with Shakespeare.

You have the confidence of Conier on steroids.

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