Bipolar Disorder Psychomotor Activity in Bipolar Disorder How Moods Impact Motor Activity By Marcia Purse | Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD Updated July 05, 2018 Share Flip Email Print Adam Kuylenstierna / EyeEm / Getty Images More in Bipolar Disorder Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment The term "psychomotor" refers to physical activity and how your mental processes either affect or govern it. It is used in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder to describe any changes indicative of a manic or depressive episode. For example, if you are depressed, you will generally have less psychomotor activity as your emotions can make you feel sluggish and weak. By contrast, during a manic episode, you may exhibit accelerated psychomotor activity such as fidgeting or making repetitive movements. These movements, or lack thereof, are directly related to what's going on in your brain at that moment In bipolar disorder, as with other mood disorders, psychomotor activity can be affected in one of two ways: it can be either increased, which is known as psychomotor agitation, or it can be decreased, which we call psychomotor retardation. Understanding Psychomotor Agitation Psychomotor agitation occurs in bipolar disorder, as well as in other mood disorders such as depression or schizophrenia. It is characterized by purposeless, agitated, and sometimes unintentional movements. Examples of psychomotor agitation include: fidgetingtapping your foot or fingers repeatedlypacingswitching channels on the remote repeatedlytalking faster than normal Psychomotor agitation tends to show up during manic or hypomanic episodes. It may be accompanied by symptoms of expansive mood, a condition characterized by excessive, impulsive, and/or grandiose behavior, such as: an escalation in goal-oriented activities (either big or incidental tasks that need to be completed now)increased risk-taking and difficulty distinguishing between safe and unsafe gamblessocially inappropriate behaviorsbeing overly friendly in a way that is awkward or inappropriateexcessive spending or lavishing gifts on othersirritability and sudden bursts of anger Understanding Psychomotor Retardation Psychomotor retardation in bipolar disorder is characterized by movements that have become slow or impaired. This most often occurs during depressive episodes and is associated more with bipolar I disorder than bipolar II. Examples of psychomotor retardation include: having trouble getting out of bedtaking a long time in between bites of foodmoving slowly, often hunched and with a lower headtalking more slowlyhaving difficulty writing or typing Psychomotor retardation is usually accompanied by classic symptoms of depressions, including: crying or feeling sad and emptysleeping too much or too littlehaving trouble focusing or remembering thingshaving a hard time making decisionshaving a hard time getting out of bedhaving suicidal thoughts Treatment Evaluating psychomotor activity not only helps doctors diagnose bipolar disorder, it allows them to evaluate the severity of a manic or depressive episode. While there is no cure for bipolar disorder, there are treatments that can help. These typically include the use of certain medications in association with psychotherapy. Medications can include antipsychotic, antidepressant, and anti-anxiety drugs. Psychotherapy may consist of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), family counseling, and/or group therapy. Finding the right combination of drugs or therapies can take time, so try to be patient. The most important thing is to keep communications open and honest and to work with your doctor as a partner in your own care. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with racing thoughts? Always feeling tired? Our guide offers strategies to help you or your loved one live better with bipolar disorder. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. Email Address Sign Up There was an error. Please try again. Thank you, , for signing up. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Yildiz, A.; Ruiz, P.; and Nemeroff, C. The Bipolar Book: History, Neurobiology, and Treatment. Oxford University Press; New York, New York (2015). Continue Reading