bipolar disorder

Understanding Bipolar Disorder Manic-depressive disease, also called bipolar disorder or manic depression, is a chronic mental health condition that produces abrupt changes in mood, energy levels, thought processes, and behavior. These shifts interfere with your ability to complete daily duties and can persist for a few minutes or several days, weeks, or even months. A few different varieties of bipolar disorder are characterized by severe mood swings known as hypomanic/manic and depressed episodes. Bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorder are the three diagnoses that comprise the category of "bipolar disorder." Manic episodes are a crucial aspect of bipolar I illness. You must have experienced at least one manic episode for at least a week, either with or without ever having a depressive episode, to be diagnosed with bipolar I disorder.                                               Similar to bipolar I, bipolar II involves a cyclical pattern of high and low moods. However, the "up" moods in bipolar II disorder never intensify into a full-fledged mania. Instead, hypomanic episodes, also known as hypomania, are the less severe elevated moods accompanying bipolar II disease.                                                                            Cyclothymia, often known as a cyclothymic disorder, is frequently thought of as a chronic, milder variant of bipolar illness (previously known as manic-depressive disorder). People suffering from cycl…