Bipolar Disorder: Facts About Bipolar Disorder or Manic Depression

Bipolar Disorder: Fast Facts

Bipolar disorder is usually characterized by extreme swings in mood, from highs (mania) to lows (depression). Some forms may be diagnosed without the patient experience a depressive episode.
Bipolar disorder is sometimes referred to as manic depression.
Bipolar disorder affects roughly 5.7 million American adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Episodes of bipolar disorder may last for weeks or months and the condition usually require lifelong treatment.
Episodes generally follow a pattern for a particular patient but may become more frequent as the person ages.
The cause and risk factors of bipolar disorder are not completely understood.
People 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 patient, 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.

Bipolar disorder is frequently misdiagnosed (sometimes as depression) because people who are in a manic phase tend not to seek treatment.
When treatment is sought during a depressive episode, bipolar disorder may be confused with depression, especially if there is no history of manic episodes.
Diagnosis includes ruling out physical causes, such as thyroid disorders, of symptoms that may mimic bipolar disorder.
The diagnosis of bipolar disorder involves a mental health evaluation, including a complete history of symptoms, when they started, their duration and their severity.
Bipolar disorder may be difficult to diagnose in children because symptoms are often similar to those of other conditions, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Children with bipolar disorder often do not fully meet established criteria.
Although there is no known cure for bipolar disorder, it is among the most treatable of mental illnesses.
There is no known way to prevent bipolar disorder itself, but individual episodes may be prevented with the use of medications.
Mood-stabilizing drugs are the primary medications for bipolar disorder.
Lithium is the most common mood stabilizer and generally the first medication used.
Psychotherapy is often effective in patients whose symptoms have been stabilized with medications.
Electroconvulsive therapy is generally considered only in severe cases or in cases where medications are not effective.