Are There Such Things As Manic Attacks?

By Sheila Wilson

Manic attacks is not a common psychological term. While this term may have been used in the past, periods of mania are commonly referred to as manic episodes, mania, or episodes of mania.

Even though people with bipolar disorder have mood disturbances, they also have periods of time when their mood is unaffected by this disorder. When someone with bipolar disorder experiences symptoms of mania, some people may call this a manic attack.

A persistently elevated mood or sustained irritability is present in manic episodes. The mood disturbance needs to last at least two weeks or be severe enough that the person has to be hospitalized for it to be considered a manic episode.

If the person has an irritable mood, the person must have four other symptoms of mania for it to be considered a manic episode. If the person has an elevated mood, the person only needs to have three more symptoms of mania for it to be considered a manic episode.

Increased talkativeness, inflated self-esteem, distractibility, flight of ideas or racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, increased focus on achieving goals, and excessive pleasure-seeking activity without regard to the consequences are symptoms of mania.

A manic episode causes symptoms that interfere with the person's daily life. If the symptoms are caused by a physical illness, medications, or drugs, the symptoms are not considered evidence of a manic episode.

Bipolar I disorder is characterized by the presence of manic episodes. The frequency and severity of the manic symptoms often decrease with proper treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy and mood-stabilizing drugs are common components of treatment for bipolar I disorder.

Some people may use the term manic attacks to describe the onset of symptoms of mania. Others may be confusing symptoms of mania with symptoms of a panic attack. A panic attack is an abrupt, and sometimes severe, episode of anxiety symptoms such as feelings of dread, increased heart rate, and shallow breathing.

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