On the contrary, during the depressive phase, the individual feels sad, empty, dissatisfied. They lose interest in nearly all activities; suffer from sudden and rapid weight loss or gain; suffer from insomnia or hypersomnia, from exhaustion or feebleness; feel themselves guilty and/or worthless, find it hard to think or focus – and this happens nearly every day. At the worst level, they might actually attempt to harm or kill themselves.
“Bipolar disorder is a paralyzing chronic illness. Depressive episodes generally bring a higher risk of longterm functioning than manic episodes. According to 2016 data on the prevalence of bipolar disorder burden, women suffer it more than men, with the highest prevalence in the 25-29 year old age range. People who suffer from repeated mood disorders, like bipolar, tend to have a personality that is prone to self-harm.”
Self-harm as a Coping Mechanism
Self-harm is not always meant as a means to suicide. The most prevalent self-harming actions include cutting off one’s finger, hitting one’s head on a wall, or slashing oneself with a sharp implement. According to Woodley’s 2020 study, the prevalence of self-harm in the general population is 2.7%. However, the rate shot up to 22% among the sampling of people who undergone primary treatment for such self-inflicted injuries.
“People with a higher risk of self-harm have generally injured themselves, suffer from anxiety attacks, are already in treatment for or have undergone treatment for mental disorders, alcohol abuse or other addictive substances, suffering from trauma because of abuse or harassment, or subject to other chronic diseases,” dr. Agustina said.
However, self-harm is actually not a symptom of bipolar disorder. It is generally a coping mechanism used by sufferers to mitigate stress, or part of a bipolar disorder co-morbidity like having a borderline personality disorder that requires treatment. Self-harm is a maladaptive coping mechanism that signals psychological disorder, as it uses physical pain to mitigate emotional pressures.
People who do self-harm and suicide attempts want to put the emotional pain outside of their bodies. In a way, it is a means for seeking attention and validation. The worst part is, it is quite addictive: they will often deliberately recall their depression by staring at the unhealed injury or scars from the self-harm attempt.