What is Bipolar Disorder?

Everyone has feelings of happiness and sadness once in a while. Feeling high and feeling low are part of life.

But for someone with bipolar disorder (sometimes called manic depression), these feelings can be extreme:

• These ups and downs can be too much for a person to cope with.
• They can interfere with daily life.
• Sometimes they can even be dangerous.

The ups and downs

One day you may feel so depressed that you can't get out of bed. Work may seem impossible.

On another day you may feel great and full of endless energy. You may feel like you’re getting a lot done. But other people might think that what you are doing is dangerous and out of control.

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition. It can be hard for healthcare providers to diagnose. But it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Learning more about how to manage the condition can help.

In this section:

• Learn about this illness in About Bipolar Disorder
• Recognizing Bipolar Disorder talks about symptoms and diagnosis, and includes a questionnaire that can help healthcare providers pick up symptoms of bipolar disorder.
• Learn about the 4 main kinds of bipolar disorder in Types of Bipolar Disorder
• Read Causes and Risk Factors to find out why bipolar disorder can happen.
• Find out what can cause mood swings in Recognizing Triggers
• Facts and Myths shows why some common beliefs about bipolar disorder aren’t true.