When Every Day Is A Struggle...

Bipolar disorder symptoms commonly start at 20, so here’s what you need to know about it.

- Sophie Hong

We like to utter the phrase “adulting is hard” for the most minor things. And for good reason – while our twenties may not be as tumultuous as puberty, there’s a reason why people call it a defining decade. For one, research has shown that the human brain is still developing, and the frontal lobe – the part of your brain involved in decision making – only reaches full maturity around 25. On top of that, you’re also experiencing a series of firsts in your career, your relationships, your finances and so on. So it’s no suprise we’re all stressed out. But that stress can actually trigger mental illness.

While it’s still not fully understood why, certain mental illnesses tend to develop or show symptoms in early adulthood – including bipolar disorder, where the average age of onset is around 25 years old. Women are also more prone to develop rapid-cycling bipolar, experiencing four or more episodes of depression and mania in a year.

What exactly is bipolar disorder?

Also known as manic depression, bipolar is a mood disorder that causes a person’s emotions to alternate between two extremes: a high (manic episodes) and a low (depressive episodes). According to a Singapore Mental Health Study, 1.2 percent of the adult population here have suffered from bipolar disorder during their lifetime. The male to female ratio is almost equal, and it occurs most commonly in people aged 18 to 34.