Anxiety disorders can occur along with bipolar disorder and there is some overlap in the way anxiety and mania look that it’s not always clear which it is. Why does this matter? Because one of the ways people can remain stable with bipolar disorder is to recognize early signs of either depression or mania so that you can intervene early to prevent the episode from blossoming. If a manic episode is coming, that intervention is most likely adjusting your mood stabilizer. But you don’t want to do that if it’s anxiety.
Here’s are the symptoms that look similar with anxiety and mania.
Racing thoughts
Concentration problems
Mood irritability
Inability to sleep
Restlessness or agitation
Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness, fear or dread. It can have physical manifestations, but it starts with a feeling. Mania is state of hyperarousal, like having an internal motor where the dial has been turned up.
So in some ways, anxiety and mania can be thought of as behaving in opposite directions. Even though they share some characteristics, with anxiety the feelings converge upon you and affect you physically and with mania your physical state explodes your feelings.
References
Perugi G, Akiskal HS, Toni C, Simonini E, Gemignani A. The temporal relationship between anxiety disorders and (hypo)mania: a retrospective examination of 63 panic, social phobic and obsessive-compulsive patients with comorbid bipolar disorder. J Affect Disord. 2001 Dec;67(1-3): 199-206.
Keller MB. The long-term clinical course of generalized anxiety disorder. Journal Clin Psychiatry. 2002;63 Suppl 8: 11-6
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