MHM 2022 - On a scale of 1 to 10 with 6 being the best

Typically, if you asked someone how they were feeling on a scale of 1 to 10, you would anticipate that 10 would be the best, as in the chart on the left. The higher the number, the better you are feeling. However, for someone with bipolar disorder, feeling a mood of 10 would not be a good idea.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood swings that can go from severe depression to mania. We are likely familiar with depression, which is feelings of sadness, hopelessness, isolation, self-loathing, guilt, etc. Mania is an elevated mood that is marked by euphoria, delusions, and overactivity. Some behaviors can include excessive spending, delusions of grandeur, getting little sleep, taking more risks, racing thoughts and speech, doing lots of activities. People experiencing mania may not feel like anything is wrong because they are “on top of the world,” but mania can be just as destructive and worrisome as depression.

So for people with bipolar disorder, we like to say “on a scale of 1 to 10, with 6 being the best.”