What Are Manic Attacks?
Manic attacks is not a term frequently used by mental health professionals. Periods of symptoms of mania are more accurately called manic episodes, mania, or episodes of mania not manic attacks.
People with bipolar disorder typically have times when their mood is stable. When they experience symptoms of mania, some people may refer to this as a manic attack.
When people have a manic episode, they experience a persistently elevated or irritable mood. Symptoms of mania must last at least two weeks or be severe enough to require hospitalization for the symptoms to be considered a manic episode.
People need to have three additional symptoms of mania plus a persistently elevated mood for a manic episode. If the person has an irritable mood, for symptoms of mania must also be present.
The symptoms of mania include a decreased need for sleep, increased talkativeness, elevated self-esteem, distractibility, an increase in goal-achieving activity, racing thoughts or flight of ideas, and excessive pleasure-seeking activities without considering the consequences.
The symptoms caused by a manic episode are severe enough to interfere with the person’s social, interpersonal, or occupational functioning. To be considered symptoms of mania, the symptoms cannot be caused by medication, drugs, or a physical illness.
When someone has a manic episode, the person is often diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. Many effective treatment methods can help a person managed to this disorder. Mood-stabilizing medication and cognitive behavioral therapy are common treatment methods 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.
