What is a bipolar personality and what leads to it?

First of all you need to keep in mind that the 'bi-polar' person has two different personality states: manic and depressed.

Second they may stay in these for weeks or months at a time. So if you are talking to someone you should not be able to tell if they are bi-polar unless they are in the manic stage. The manic stage is much more obvious than the depressive state.

In fact the person's 'normal' state and most frequent state is going to be depression. If they don't tell you about their 'manic' periods you should have no idea that they are bipolar in their normal depressive state.

Also remember that a lot of people can have a normal personality, yet have bi-polar characteristics, without it being a disorder. Their 'manic' state does not have the psychiatric aspects that make this a disorder.

A manic state can occur in much milder forms. The person breaks out of their normal routine and seem more energetic, be more creative, get more done, have more fun without clinical extremes.

However, this becomes problematic if the  person goes on a spending spree, goes gambling, goes wild sexually, impulsive and does not get routine tasks done. This is disruptive without the signs of mental illness and impaired thinking. 

The clinical disorder includes grandiose thinking, disconnecting from reality, paranoid delusions associated with mental disorders. Remember that you can have milder forms of bipolar that do not require drugs or psychiatry.

I have found an underlying personality pattern that is typically found underneath the bipolar pattern. This is a personality pattern of the super-responsible person who is always there for others, rescuing others, doing too much for others. These person can be the pillar of the family, church or social organization.

They are always there for others. What is wrong with this? They fail at self-care. They sacrifice themselves in taking care of others. They suppress their needs and oppress their inner child. It is this inner child that sometimes escapes the suppression and goes wild. That inner child breaking out is of course what gets called the 'manic' phase. So learn to take care of yourself!

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Follow-up

My observation is that all bipolar personalities or bipolar disorders have a common basic personality type. Not everyone with this type is bipolar but, in my humble opinion, everyone who is bipolar has this type in their history and background.

The type I am referencing is called 'Super-Responsible' in my writing and I learned that type from my mentors who called it 'Parental Inversion.' (John and Paula Sandford) This type is quite common and involves feeling responsible for taking care of others, for keeping things together, and rescuing people.

I have explained more about this type in my writings such as on Inner Healing > Spontaneity


More information at Life Transformation Group on psychotherapy:

George HartwellAnna Wolanczyk Psychotherapy Blog
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Registered Psychotherapist in Mississauga, Toronto Polish speaking
Anna Wolanczyk registered psychotherapist by Skype, in Mississauga, Toronto, Ontario
George Hartwell registered psychotherapist and Christian counsellor in Mississauga, Toronto by Skype or phone or in person
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