Bipolar disorder type II affects sufferers less seriously than type I, in which full blown manic and depressive episodes may last a week at a time. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that type II never reaches a complete manic...
The stereotype of what it means to be bipolar--raging mood swings of uncontrollable mania alternating with weeks of immobilizing depression--represents just one type of bipolar disorder. The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and...
Bipolar disorder, a serious mental illness is also known as manic depression. It typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood, according to the National Institutes of Health, and causes severe mood swings. These mood swings can interfere...
Bipolar disorder causes unusual shifts in moods and energy. Someone with bipolar disorder may go from feelings of depression to suddenly feeling overjoyed and enthusiastic. The disorder is also called manic-depressive illness. The depressed state...
Bipolar disorders involve distinct periods, called episodes, during which disturbances in mood and behavior are present. Episodes may be depressive, manic, hypomanic or mixed. Major depressive episodes are characterized by depressed mood and lack...
Bipolar I and II disorders are distinguished from other mood disorders because they are marked by both major depressive and manic or similar extreme mood states that occur in cycles. Bipolar disorders may be diagnosed under six sets of criteria....
Bipolar disorder is a treatable mental illness affecting more than 2 million Americans each year, according to HealthyPlace.com, a medically reviewed mental health information site. It is characterized by extreme mood swings that, when left...
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM published by the American Psychiatric Association specifies four diagnostic categories and criteria for bipolar disorder. The diagnosis of which type it is depends on the symptoms a...
Doctors identify this type of bipolar illness by severe mood swings. Patients will go from mania to depression within a matter of minutes. It is possible for the patient to feel mania without feeling depression; however, most patients with...
Medication is often used successfully if you suffer from bipolar disorder, but counseling is also a necessary part of recovery to help in understanding the illness and managing it. Bipolar disorder, once called manic depression, can cause mood...
The Stanford School of Medicine reports that bipolar disorders affect about 2.2 million Americans as of 2010. The average age at onset is about 20 years old for both males and females alike. The "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental...
Pediatric bipolar disorder, also known as early-onset bipolar disorder, affects 7 percent of children seen in psychiatric facilities, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. A patient with bipolar disorder experiences mood swings...
According to the National Institutes of Health, bipolar disorder is a "brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks." Also known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar...
About 2.6 percent of adults have bipolar disorder and 4.1 percent of adults have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Both psychological disorders can impair...
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes symptoms of both mania and depression in patients. As classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV, symptoms of bipolar disorder must last for at least 2 weeks...
Bipolar disorder is generally characterized by episodes of mania and depression. A person with bipolar disorder experiences extreme shifts back and forth between these moods. According to FamilyDoctor.com, bipolar disorder can inflict any age...
Medication is the treatment of choice and the primary resource for coping with bipolar disorder, a type of mood disorder usually characterized by mood swings which alternate between mania or hypomania and depression or dysthymia. It is imperative...
Bipolar mood disorder and depression are two unique and independent health problems, although these conditions can occur simultaneously. Bipolar mood disorder is a condition in which you experience alternating periods of elevated mood and bouts of...
The first step in seeking treatment for depression is to see a mental health professional who can accurately diagnose the problem and outline a treatment plan. Psychiatrists and clinical psychologists are well trained in psychological evaluations...
Bipolar disorder, also referred to as manic depression, is a mood disorder that affects 5.7 million adults in the United States--about 2.6 percent of the population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The age of onset is...
Bipolar disorder is a serious mood disorder characterized by manic and depressive episodes. These episodes typically last two or more weeks at a time; however, some patients experience rapid mood shifts. Bipolar disorder can affect many aspects of...
Unusual changes in mood, energy, levels of activity and tasks of daily life characterize bipolar disorder. Patients with this serious psychological disorder experience mood episodes that fluctuate between the manic phase and the depressive phase....
Bipolar disorder is classified into subcategories that are dependent on the type of episode, manic or depressive, its severity and rate of recurrence. The "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" classifies persons with bipolar...
Medication is the treatment of choice and the primary resource for coping with manic depression, a type of mood disorder characterized by severe mood swings which alternate between mania and depression. Manic depression is the popular name for a...
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that bipolar disorder and manic depression are the same mood disorder. The patient has mood swings between mania (the "high") and depression (the "low"). During mania, the patient becomes very...
Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, is a mood disorder that affects children and adults. Patients with bipolar disorder exhibit mood swings between mania (highs) and depression (lows). Treatment options include medication and therapy, though...
The Anxiety Disorders Association of America notes that more than one half of individuals diagnosed with depression also have an anxiety disorder. People who believe they may have an anxiety disorder, a depressive disorder or both should call a...
One of the four types of bipolar disorder, bipolar disorder II is defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as episodes of major depression with periods of hypomania, which is a less severe form of mania. Because hypomania may be...
Bipolar disorder is a type of depression characterized by extreme highs and lows. According to the Mayo Clinic, bipolar disorder can cause a shift in your mood as little as a few times per year to as often as several times per day. Most physicians...