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Bipolar Disorder: Fast Facts


  • Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme swings in mood, from highs (mania) to lows (depression).

  • Bipolar disorder is sometimes referred to as manic depression.

  • Bipolar disorder affects roughly 2.3 million Americans, or about 1.2 percent of the population, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

  • It is the sixth leading cause of disability worldwide.

  • Episodes of bipolar disorder may last for weeks or months and usually require lifelong treatment.

  • Episodes generally follow a pattern for a particular woman but may become more frequent as she ages.

  • The cause and risk factors of bipolar disorder are not completely understood.

  • Women who have relatives with a history of a mood disorder are at a higher risk of developing bipolar disorder.

  • Symptoms of bipolar disorder generally remain the same from one episode to the next for a particular woman, but they may get worse or better.

  • Symptoms of mania include euphoria, increased self-esteem, racing thoughts and reckless behavior.

  • Symptoms of depression include sadness, loss of interest in activities, fatigue and thoughts of death.

  • Psychotic features such as hallucinations or delusions may occur in both manic and depressive episodes.

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