What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder, previously called manic-depressive disorder, is a condition that usually causes people to alternate between periods of depression and extreme excitement or agitation. There are different types of bipolar disorders. Some people may be manic and depressed at the same time. Others have manic episodes without any depression.
Bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) is a treatable, medical illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior. It is called bipolar disorder because a person’s mood can alternate between the “poles” of mania (high, elevated mood) and depression (low, depressed mood). These changes in mood (“mood swings”) can last for hours, days, weeks or even months. Click here to learn more about bipolar disorder.
—————————— Bipolar Disorder is the medical name for Manic Depression; at various times, it has also been known as Bipolar Affective Disorder and Manic-Depressive Illness. It is a mood disorder that affects approximately 1% of the adult population of the United States–and roughly the same percentage in other countries, as far as we know. 🙂 It’s in the same family of illnesses (called “affective disorders”) as clinical depression. However, unlike clinical depression, which seems to affect far more women than men, Bipolar Disorder seems to affect men and women in approximately equal numbers. It’s characterized by mood swings. Though there is no known cure, most forms of bipolar disorder are eminently treatable with medication and supportive psychotherapy. The textbook definition of Bipolar Disorder is: one or more Manic or Hypomanic Episodes, accompanied by one or more Major Depressive Episodes. These episodes typically happen in cycles. All of these terms will be d
Bipolar Disorder is the medical name for Manic Depression; at various times, it has also been known as Bipolar Affective Disorder and Manic-Depressive Illness. It is a mood disorder that affects approximately 1% of the adult population of the United States–and roughly the same percentage in other countries, as far as we know. 🙂 It’s in the same family of illnesses (called “affective disorders”) as clinical depression. However, unlike clinical depression, which seems to affect far more women than men, Bipolar Disorder seems to affect men and women in approximately equal numbers. It’s characterized by mood swings. Though there is no known cure, most forms of bipolar disorder are eminently treatable with medication and supportive psychotherapy. The textbook definition of Bipolar Disorder is: one or more Manic or Hypomanic Episodes, accompanied by one or more Major Depressive Episodes. These episodes typically happen in cycles. All of these terms will be defined at greater length below.
