What is bipolar disorder?

Answer 1

Manic Depression - Highs & Lows

It is like riding a roller coaster. The HIGH part or MANIC is when you are riding UP to the top. Everything is FINE, GREAT, Fantastic, Wonderful etc

The LOW PART or Depression is when you are going DOWN. Sad, Worthlessness, Failure, Depressed etc.

There is MORE th BiPolar than what you can get on here. It is also sometimes confused with PMDD - Pre-Menstral Dysphoric Disorder, PPD - Post Partum Disorder & other illnesses.

A psychiatric evaluation will help with diagnosing BiPolar disorder.

A Psychiatrist writes the presriptions for medication
A Psychologst does Therapy, gives recommendations etc.
A Social Worker does the Intake/Evaluation Process.

Answer 2

"Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But there is good news: bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.

About 5.7 million American adults or about 2.6 percent of the population age 18 and older in any given year,1 have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood, and some develop them late in life. It is often not recognized as an illness, and people may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person's life."

Answer 3

Bipolar disorder used to be called manic depression. People with this disorder swing from hardly being able to get out of bed for activities of daily living to those who become loud and are in a manic state. Some rant and rave. They can't sleep for days and days. This is just a very superficial thumb nail sketch. I suggest you look it up. It is a very interesting disorder. It seems to be diagnosed more and more frequently. I don't know whether it is because there are more cases or we are much more aware of it now. Good luck

Answer 4

Whoaaa! This answer thing is getting a bit out of hand here as we are getting some really way off the mark answers. Such a question should be put to a qualified person as we are talking about peoples' well being here and not the price of fish!

Bi-Polar is the modern name for what used to be called Manic Depression. It gets it name from the fact that the person's moods swing from one extreme to another (polarized), one minute they can be hyper (manic) making fantastic plans, talking very fast and excitedly etc, the next they are lethargic, not interested in anything or anyone, even themselves; the depressed state. Treated normally with anti-depressants with the added caveat that these drugs are very powerful and can be highly addictive and should only be taken for a short period of time otherwise the person can develop a dependency problem.

Answer 5

Traditionally, in psychiatry BMD is defined as flactuation of mood from depression to mania within a certain period of time usually 3 or 6 months. Of course recent neurological research have shown that this disorder -which mostly affects speed of current of thought not content of it- may be oscillating at both ends (depressive or maniac mood) within only a fraction of one seconds as a result of neuronal mechanisms carrying electrical impulse in limbic system. at the end we state that by this definition many people may be involved with this disorder that who seem completely in normal mental conditions, even more intelligent as have been shown in talent people or in great scientists like Newton and Einstein. The reason could be stipulated is that when an individual passing through these two states of mood he or she become more able to compare all events and as we know human being understand and discover subject through comparison in his mind. This disorder can be readily curable by medical therapy. But what leads to abnormality is high intensity of current of thought speed that may become accompanied with some delusions or even hallucinations which are different in nature from those halucinations we observe in pychotic patients.

Answer 6

It is a type of mental illness ,depression being unipolar and bi polar be highs and lows of moods.LIke we have a baseline which we are "normal"mood and go three up for mania and three down for depression....Three up I mean three levels down or up mild moderate and severe it i sa comlicated illness and very hard to medicate and manage. But for the ignorant it does not make you crazy only feel like it I am bi polar and there are allot of inconsiderate people in this world what would you do if you saw someone seize from a seziure you would help them immediately but if someone with bi polar does somethin that is not normal you either kick them out or you run for the hills

Answer 7

Bipolar is like living on different mind levels. and can change in a second. They usually self medicate. Anything can set them off and do stupid stuff you wouldnt think you would do.
If someone else did it you would tell them What are you doing?

Answer 8

bipolar disorder is a condition associated with depression and mood swings that affect many people and is treatable with counseling and medication.

Answer 9

to make it simple it's a chemical imbalance in your body. check out this website, it helped me when a family member was diagnosed with it. It's differnet w/ everyone. Right now General Hospital is doing a great story line on it, and what makes it great is that the actor who is playing Sonny, really has it.

Answer 10

Two Personalities Basically, I hate it, it sucks, sometimes messes up my life if i don't take my meds. One min. i'm really happy and then someone says something to me or something and i'm all pissed off and moody. It sucks alot but take your med. if you got it, cause they seem to work and if not get a stronger dosage, i have a strong one.