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Understanding what drives impulsivity and its real-life consequences can help you recognize warning signs and make more thoughtful decisions.
Key Takeaways
- Impulsivity in bipolar disorder is linked to differences in brain function that affect decision-making, self-control, and sensitivity to rewards.
- Impulsive words and actions can damage relationships, jeopardize employment, create financial problems, and leave people struggling with guilt and regret.
- Strategies such as recognizing triggers, pausing before acting, limiting temptations, and seeking input from someone you trust can help manage impulsivity and prevent harmful consequences.
Everyone has impulsive tendencies at times. Flirting with someone after a huge fight with your partner or bad-mouthing your boss because they offered unwelcome feedback — who hasn’t acted on a whim without thinking it through or gotten carried away by an exciting idea?
For people with bipolar disorder, however, impulsivity can become more pronounced, particularly during hypomania or mania. Impulsivity and elevated mood often go hand in hand, and engaging in risky behaviors that can have long-lasting consequences is one of the hallmarks of the disorder. Plus, research suggests that even in times of stability, lower impulse control is characteristic of individuals with bipolar.
So, what is bipolar impulsivity, how does it affect behavior, and what can you do to manage it?
What Is Impulsivity in Bipolar Disorder?
Based on emotion rather than logical reasoning, impulsivity is an urge to act quickly, in an unplanned way, without regard for the future. According to a systematic review of 33 studies, it is a common feature of bipolar disorder and a symptom of mania.
In bipolar disorder, impulsivity is involved in high-risk behaviors that contribute to poor functioning and premature mortality, such as:
- Problematic gambling
- Overspending
- Engaging in risky sexual activities
- Addiction and substance misuse
Alongside these self-destructive behaviors, impulsivity is also strongly linked to suicidal tendencies, according to the authors of the review.
How Impulsivity Affects Relationships and Daily Life
Whether it’s saying out loud whatever pops into your mind, or deciding to move countries on a whim, the results of impulsivity can be very serious and include:
- Fractured relationships
- Lost jobs
- Financial debt
- Compromised health
- Legal troubles
Relatively minor behaviors associated with impulsivity — including impatience and interrupting when others speak — can also alienate those around you. There’s also a link between weak impulse control and bipolar anger, which can lead to intense fights with loved ones.
Impulsive behavior and unfiltered speech can leave people hurt, angry, and bewildered. It’s often followed by feelings of guilt or regret and attempts to apologize or make amends.
Why Bipolar Disorder Causes Impulsive Behavior
The 33-study review found that the brain area responsible for planning and analytical thinking tends to have a weaker grip on emotional circuitry in people with bipolar — akin to worn brake pads that can’t stop a speeding car in time.
In addition, a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies has found that the brain’s reward system is altered in bipolar disorder, potentially playing a role in impulsivity and making the chased jackpot harder to resist.
On the one hand, hyperactivity in bipolar can fuel goal-directed achievement; on the other, it increases susceptibility to addiction and intensifies cravings for excitement.
When dealing with bipolar disorder, it’s always good to remember this motto: “Biology is not destiny.” That said, you may need stronger external circuit breakers to help you pause and ponder when your inner voice says “Go for it!”
The Difference Between Impulsivity and Intuition
Both intuition and impulsivity can feel similar in their immediacy, but they aren’t the same.
A paper published in Nature defined intuition as “the ability to use nonconscious information for conscious decision-making.” While intuition draws on information and experience that may be processed unconsciously, impulsivity involves acting quickly with limited foresight or planning, and is usually the result of difficulties with impulse control.
Impulsivity often seeks short-term thrills, relief, or comfort, while intuition may feel quieter and less urgent. During hypomania or mania, increased impulsivity can make an idea feel unusually compelling or important.
Deby S. of Virginia has always struggled to distinguish between impulsivity and intuition. “I’ve had to learn to identify which risks are smart and educated and thought-through, and which are the superficial result of hypomania,” says Deby, who has bipolar 2 disorder.
“Hypomania can make even the worst idea feel pretty special, but I’ve discovered that impulses can be one-trick ponies. … They often don’t have any substance beneath them,” she says.
If a thought feels urgent or like it’s difficult to control, and it involves an immediate, palpable reward, it may be worth taking a beat before acting; intuition, by contrast, may feel like a sense of clarity, a feeling that helps us grow and become more mature, rather than an urge for instant gratification.
Strategies to Manage Bipolar Impulsivity
Managing bipolar impulsivity can be challenging, but there are ways to reduce its impact. Getting mood episodes under control is an important foundation. Learning to recognize the signs of impulsivity and to develop practical coping strategies can also help you avoid making decisions that may have lasting consequences.
The following strategies draw on research and the lived experiences of people living with bipolar.
Turn to Someone You Can Trust
Andy L., who lives in the state of Washington, has learned not to keep his impulsive feelings to himself. He used to let them out only on a private notepad, which helped him sort out his thoughts but didn’t provide an outside perspective. Now he also turns to his wife, Kristin, a psychotherapist.
“I have a partner I can trust and who isn’t afraid of this,” he says. “It’s a good idea to have somebody who can check your reality. … I can say, ‘Am I being weird? Are you feeling uncomfortable?’”
It’s helpful to have a person — whether a mental health professional or someone close whom you trust — who can steer you away from impetuous behavior.
Pause Before You Act
Cognitive-behavioral skills and mindfulness practices can also be immensely useful in slowing down impulsive responses.
For example, Stuart Moore, a licensed clinical social worker in Northern Virginia, guides clients in pausing long enough to weigh the pros and cons of a particular impulse.
“That pause, that reflective moment, takes the [situation] away from impulsivity to a conscious decision,” he says. “That doesn’t mean we need to take it off the table, but maybe we can take it off the table for right now.”
Some people impose a mandatory waiting period to see if a decision or impulse still seems like a good idea after a couple of days or a week. That sifts out the promising proposals from mere whims.
“At some point, the impulse is no longer necessary. It’s moved on,” Moore says.
Recognize Your Triggers and Build in Fail-Safes
Getting to know your triggers and warning signs can help you get ahead of a mood episode and reduce the damaging consequences of impulsive behavior, according to the mental health charity Mind.
For example, if you know late nights can change your mood, you may prevent an impulsive decision by getting an early night.
Recognizing your behavior patterns can also help you build in some fail-safes. For example, because she knows she’s prone to overspending, Melissa C. hands her bank card over to her boyfriend when the two go out on the town. Her partner also helped her develop a monthly budget intended to keep her finances stable.
Remove Temptation
Still, such measures aren’t foolproof for everyone, and a strategy that works for one person may not hold true for the next.
George from Maryland has trouble adhering to the spending limits his wife has set, causing friction and conflict in his marriage. After arguments with his wife, he sometimes posts impulsively about her online, saying “horrific things” that leave him angry at himself and only fuel online venting further.
“It’s a vicious cycle,” he says.
In his case, removing temptation has yielded better results. George deactivated most of his social media accounts to reduce the number of comments he posts without proper mental filtering.
Use a Mental Prompt
Sometimes, all you need is a little nudge to turn inward and do a mental check-in.
Deby carries a small charm as a reminder that, when it comes to the allure of impulse, she has been down that path before. The charm is a unicorn, and she carries it on a necklace she bought for herself. She feels there’s something meaningful and poignant about it.
“Impulse will show you a lot of unicorns,” she reflects, “so keeping one with me is a reminder that impulse feels special and significant, but ultimately it’s [about] illusions.” When an impulsive urge stirs, Deby turns to the charm for a mental prompt.
“I recognize this feeling,” she tells herself. “I’ve been here before. It’ll pass.”
FAQs
Why does bipolar disorder cause impulsivity?
The brain-based nature of bipolar disorder means that certain brain areas involved in executive control, planning, and decision-making are affected, often leading to impulsivity and poor decisions.
Is impulsivity a symptom of bipolar disorder?
Yes, impulsivity can be a symptom of bipolar, especially if accompanied by other symptoms of mania and hypomania. However, research suggests impulsivity can also occur outside of mood episodes, affecting people with bipolar even during euthymia (mood stability).
How does bipolar impulsivity affect relationships?
Bipolar impulsivity may lead to fractured relationships, emotional rifts, and in more severe cases, separation. To mitigate these risks, learn to recognize your triggers, pause before acting, and turn to a trusted person for additional support and perspective.
Additional reporting by Robin L. Flanigan.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
bpHope follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, as outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, people with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
SOURCES +
- Santana RP et al. Impulsivity in Bipolar Disorder: State or Trait? Brain Sciences. October 5, 2022.
- Ramírez-Martín A et al. Impulsivity, Decision-Making and Risk-Taking Behavior in Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Psychological Medicine. September 3, 2020.
- Chan CC et al. Neural Correlates of Impulsivity in Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review and Clinical Implications. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. February 21, 2023.
- Long X et al. Altered Brain Activation During Reward Anticipation in Bipolar Disorder. Translational Psychiatry. July 28, 2022.
- Raeder R. When Impulsivity Is Present but Hidden — A Neural Clue in Bipolar Vulnerability. Research Communities by Springer Nature. March 19, 2026.
- Fellnhofer K. Measuring and Enhancing Intuition. Nature Reviews Psychology. July 27, 2022.
- Ferrarello S. Intuition Asks for Courage; Impulse Demands Relief. Psychology Today. March 24, 2026.
- Milic J et al. Short Communication on Proposed Treatment Directions in Bipolar Disorder: A Psychotherapy Perspective. Journal of Clinical Medicine. March 10, 2025.
- Self-Care for Hypomania and Mania. Mind. March 2023.
Updated from: “Impulse Power,” Spring 2017
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