Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, also known as bipolar affective disorder, manic-depressive disorder, or manic depression, is a mental illnessclassified by psychiatrists as a mood disorder. Individuals with bipolar disorder experience episodes of a frenzied mood known asmania alternating with episodes of depression.

Mania can occur with different levels of severity. At milder levels of mania, or "hypomania", individuals appear energetic, excitable, and may in fact be highly productive. As mania becomes more severe, individuals begin to behave erratically and impulsively, often making poor decisions due to unrealistic ideas about the future, and may have great difficulty with sleep. At the most severe level, individuals can experience very distorted beliefs about the world known as psychosis.

Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes; some experience a mixed state in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time. Manic and depressive episodes last from a few days to several months.

About 4% of people suffer from bipolar disorder. Prevalence is similar in men and women and, broadly, across different cultures and ethnic groups. Genetic factors contribute substantially to the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder, and environmental factors are also implicated. Bipolar disorder is often treated with mood stabilizing medications and psychotherapy. In serious cases, in which there is a risk of harm to oneself or others, involuntary commitment may be used. These cases generally involve severe manic episodes with dangerous behavior or depressive episodes with suicidal ideation. There are widespread problems with social stigma, stereotypes, andprejudice against individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder exhibiting psychotic symptoms can sometimes be misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia.

The current term bipolar disorder is of fairly recent origin and refers to the cycling between high and low episodes (poles). The term "manic–depressive illness" or psychosis was coined by German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in the late nineteenth century, originally referring to all kinds of mood disorder. German psychiatrist Karl Leonhard split the classification in 1957, employing the terms unipolar disorder (major depressive disorder) and bipolar disorder.

Contents

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• 1 Signs and symptoms
  • 1.1 Manic episodes
  • 1.2 Hypomanic episodes
  • 1.3 Depressive episodes
  • 1.4 Mixed affective episodes
  • 1.5 Associated features
• 2 Causes
  • 2.1 Genetic
  • 2.2 Physiological
  • 2.3 Environmental
  • 2.4 Neurological
• 3 Prevention
• 4 Diagnosis
  • 4.1 Bipolar spectrum
  • 4.2 Criteria and subtypes
    • 4.2.1 Rapid cycling
  • 4.3 Differential diagnosis
• 5 Comorbid conditions
• 6 Management
  • 6.1 Psychosocial
  • 6.2 Medication
• 7 Prognosis
  • 7.1 Functioning
  • 7.2 Recovery and recurrence
  • 7.3 Mortality
• 8 Epidemiology
• 9 History
• 10 Society and culture
• 11 Specific populations
  • 11.1 Children
  • 11.2 Elderly
• 12 See also
• 13 References
• 14 External links

http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/bipolar-disorder-manic-depression

schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizoaffective disorder, complex PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder)