Bipolar Disorder

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior.

People who have bipolar disorder can have periods in which they feel overly happy and energized and other periods of feeling very sad, hopeless, and sluggish. In between those periods, they usually feel normal. You can think of the highs and the lows as two "poles" of mood, which is why it's called "bipolar" disorder.

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Symptoms of mania ("the highs"):

• Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement

• Sudden changes from being joyful to being irritable, angry, and hostile

• Restlessness

• Rapid speech and poor concentration

• Increased energy and less need for sleep 

• Unusually high sex drive

• Making grand and unrealistic plans

• Showing poor judgment

• Drug and alcohol abuse

• Becoming more impulsive

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During depressive periods ("the lows"), a person with bipolar disorder may have:

• Sadness

• Loss of energy

• Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness

• Not enjoying things they once liked

• Trouble concentrating

• Uncontrollable crying

• Trouble making decisions

• Irritability

• Insomnia 

• Needing more sleep

• Appetite changes that make them lose or gain weight

• Thoughts of death or suicide

• Attempting suicide