The condition, first
Understanding bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder belongs to the mood disorders, in which mood, energy, activity and the ability to cope with everyday life can change noticeably.
It is not simply “mood swings”. The changes can last several days or longer and affect sleep, thinking, decisions, relationships, work and ordinary tasks.
This page is informational. It cannot be used to make a diagnosis and does not replace a consultation with a qualified professional.
Two poles are not the whole picture
The word “bipolar” is often associated only with two extremes: depression and mania. In practice the picture can be more complicated.
Some periods are distinctly depressive or manic. Others are closer to an ordinary state. Mixed features are possible too — high energy alongside irritability, anxiety or depressive thoughts.
That is why one mood rating is often not enough to understand the context.
Depressive episodes
A depressive period can involve markedly lowered mood, loss of interest or pleasure, reduced energy, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep or appetite, a sense of hopelessness, and thoughts of death or suicide.
Which symptoms appear, and how strongly, differs from person to person.
If there is immediate danger, or a risk of harming yourself, contact your local emergency or crisis service.
Mania
Mania is not simply a good mood or a particularly productive stretch.
It can include unusually elevated, expansive or irritable mood, a marked rise in energy and activity, a reduced need for sleep, rapid speech, racing thoughts, heightened distractibility, unusually high self-confidence, and impulsive or risky behaviour.
In severe cases the ability to function normally can drop sharply, and hospital care is sometimes required. Psychotic symptoms are also possible.
Hypomania
Hypomania resembles mania in many ways, but is less pronounced and does not cause the same level of disruption to everyday functioning.
Even so, it can still differ noticeably from an ordinary state and carry important consequences.
The fact that a period feels pleasant or productive does not on its own determine its clinical significance.
Mixed features
Symptoms do not always fall into one category.
Raised activity or energy can occur together with anxiety, irritability, heavy inner tension or depressive symptoms. Without context, such combinations can be especially hard to recognise.
Bipolar I and bipolar II
In bipolar I disorder there is at least one manic episode in a person’s history. Depressive episodes are common, but they are not required for the diagnosis of bipolar I itself.
In bipolar II disorder there are hypomanic episodes and episodes of major depression, but no full manic episode has occurred.
Other bipolar-spectrum diagnoses exist as well. Only a qualified professional can determine which diagnosis applies in a particular situation.
Why track more than mood
Some people find it useful to watch sleep, energy, anxiety, irritability, stress, medication, alcohol and other substances, food and water, activity, and changes to the usual routine.
None of these measures confirms an episode on its own. The meaning appears in context, and in how several measures change together over time.
Sleep can carry important context
Changes in sleep can accompany changes in state. For some people, a marked reduction in sleep without matching tiredness occurs during periods of heightened activation; longer sleep or difficulty getting up can accompany a depressive period.
But sleep also changes for many other reasons: work, stress, illness, travel, caffeine, environment, or simply one bad night.
So POLARITY shows sleep beside other measures and does not turn a single measure into a conclusion.
Medication and substances: context, not judgement
POLARITY lets you mark medication doses and some factors related to substances.
The point is not to judge treatment or to say what you should take. The history can only help reconstruct what was happening during a particular period.
Decisions about starting, stopping, dosing or changing treatment should be discussed with a qualified professional.
Noticing a pattern is not making a diagnosis
“Sleep was shorter for a few days while energy and irritability rose” is an observation.
“I am having a manic episode” is a clinical conclusion, and POLARITY should not be the one drawing it.
For the product, that is a boundary of principle.
How POLARITY uses this idea
The daily check-in keeps several dimensions: mood, depressive thoughts, energy, anxiety, irritability, stress, sleep, food and water, medication, substances and other daily factors.
With your permission, the available Apple Health signals can be shown beside your check-ins.
Over time POLARITY shows trends, stability, AI Reflections and reports. But not diagnoses.
When to reach for help
If changes in your state are noticeable, worrying, seriously interfering with ordinary life, or raising questions about treatment, it is better to discuss them with a qualified professional.
With immediate danger, suicidal thoughts, or a risk of harm to yourself or others, contact your local emergency or crisis service straight away.
In the US you can call or text 988. In other countries, use your local emergency or crisis number.
The main thing
Bipolar disorder is hard to reduce to a single measure, and one day rarely gives the full picture.
Watching several measures over time can help you reconstruct your own experience more accurately.
That is POLARITY’s role: to keep the history, show the changes, and leave the interpretation to you and to the professionals you decide to bring into it.
Medical disclaimer: this page holds general information and is not a medical recommendation. Read the full medical disclaimer.