During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in his assesment of the symptom: Mania. These may include a physical examination or other medical tests. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
Why: Mania is more than just feeling good or even euphoric. With true mania, people can be described by words like "frantic", "hyperactive" or over-excited. Often a person's thoughts and speech is so "fast" that it tumbles over itself and becomes fragmented by following tangents of thoughts and ideas. Cycling between mania and depression is the hallmark of bipolar disorder (previously called manic-depression) but there are other.
Why: manic episodes range in their severity. The least severe form of mania is "hypomania" in which the person experiences the same symptoms but in a milder form and usually for briefer periods of time (4 days or several weeks). By definition, hypomania does not tend to interfere markedly with social or occupational functioning. Mania itself can present with or without psychotic symptoms.
Why: During a manic episode judgement is impaired and the person is at risk of ruining their reputation with inappropriate and often bizarre behavior and they are also at risk of causing serious financial, legal or physical harm.
Why: Insight is almost invariably impaired, with the person seeing no need for treatment. However, others with whom they come in contact with rarely have doubts.
Why: questions specifically about relationship, family, children, social support, occupation, general physical health and financial stresses. First episodes of mania often follow the same sort of stressful life events as precipitate episodes of depression.
Why: it is important for the doctor to know if you are a suicide risk.
Why: e.g. bipolar affective disorder is a recurrent disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression. The periods of mania include symptoms of elevated mood (euphoria) sometimes accompanied by irritability. The occurrence of a prior manic episode has important implications for treatment and ongoing health management.
Why: some people have their only episode of manic illness during treatment of a depressive episode with an antidepressant medication.
Why: e.g. cocaine may provide a feeling of euphoria and excitement; amphetamines may provide a feeling of euphoria with a feeling of superiority and general feeling of wellness; ecstasy may provide a general feeling of euphoria and wellness; cannabis intoxication may provide feeling of euphoria. Bipolar affective disorder should not be diagnosed if the disturbance in mood has been initiated and maintained by substance abuse.
Why: e.g. bipolar affective disorder has a strong hereditary basis.
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. These may include:
Why: If manic phase of bipolar affective disorder is severe the person may suffer from psychotic symptoms e.g. delusions such as the belief that one has supernatural or special powers, or that one knows a famous person; hallucinations including "seeing" famous people or "hearing" their voices.
Why: e.g. recurrent disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression. The manic phase is characterized by elevated mood (euphoria) sometimes accompanied by irritability, grandiose ideas, inflated self-esteem, increased energy and activity, rapid pressured speech, increased libido often leading to sexual disinhibition and inappropriate sexual activity, impaired judgement, impulsive behavior, reduced need for sleep, poor concentration and attention, sometimes psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations.
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