Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety: Introduction and Physiological Responses

Often those with bipolar disorder feel anxious. For some, they retreat into their own world, afraid of being hurt by another (being yelled at, laughed at, insulted, and taken advantage of). Others are afraid of how they might act out on others so they isolate themselves. It leads some to yell, to argue, to get into fights. Sometimes, people turn to drugs and/or alcohol because of that anxiety.

Anxiety doesn’t feel good at all. It is a tough emotion. Our stomach can get a sinking feeling or can feel like it has butterflies in it. Worse yet, we can feel nauseous, like we want to throw up, or we can get diarrhea. Our palms can get sweaty, or they can get cold and clammy. Some of us get a tingling feeling in our hands, feet, or face. We can feel warm or hot all over our body. Our heart rate can increase. Our chest can get tight, or it can just hurt, making us think that we are having a heart attack. We can get palpitations or irregular heartbeats. Our hands can shake. Our legs or knees can feel weak, like we are going to fall. We can feel shaky or like we could faint. We can feel like we are partially paralyzed. Our mouth can get dry, like it has cotton balls stuck in it. We can get a lump in our throat. We can hyperventilate. Sometimes, we feel dizzy or lightheaded. At other times, we can feel like life is unreal, like we are in a dream. We can feel detached from our current situation, as if we are floating away. We can be unable to think clearly. Our vision can get blurry.