What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder can be seen as a psychiatric diagnostic category describing a classification of mood disorders in which the person usually goes through intense cycles of clinical depression and mania, hypomania, and/or mixed episodes This mood disorder can cause great distress among those afflicted and those living with them; their family and friends. To know more about bipolar disorder, we need to look back into the origin of the concept of manic depressive illness.

Bipolar disorder can also be a disabling condition, with a higher-than-average possibility of death through suicide. Bipolar disorder can vary in severity and affect people differently. In the world today, there are many very high functioning bipolar people of above average creativity, and also those with life threatening depression symptoms. Famous people with bipolar disorder has proven that even people with manic depression can lead a very normal life.

Manic depressive illness tends to be highly genetic, bipolar disorder and heredity are said to go together, but there are clearly environmental factors that influence whether the illness will occur in a particular child that has family history of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder can skip generations and take different forms in different individuals.

Reading the modern definition of bipolar mood disorder, we know that manic depression can be treated with lots of support and modern medication as this condition is more of a psychological issue. Bipolar disorder support groups and forums can be very helpful, where people who have bipolar disorder shares how they overcome their mood swings and treated/maintained their condition.

Bipolar disorder is often a life-long, permanent condition that must be carefully managed and continuously treated. Because there is so much variation in severity and nature of these mood problems, it is increasingly being called bipolar spectrum disorder. This spectrum concept refers to subtypes of bipolar disorder or a continuum of mood disorders, that can include sub-syndromal (below the symptom threshold for categorical diagnosis) symptoms.

Next article: The Origin Of The Concept Of Manic Depressive Illness

Followed by:

Modern Definition Of Bipolar Mood Disorder

Bipolar Disorder And Heredity

Famous People With Bipolar Disorder

Is Bipolar Disorder A Disability

Bipolar Disorder - Mental Illness or Medical Condition

Types Of Bipolar Disorder