Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder with cyclical periods of depression and periods of elevated mood.[1] The elevated mood is significant and is known as mania, a severe elevation that can be accompanied by psychosis in some cases, or hypomania, a milder form of mania. During mania, an individual behaves or feels abnormally energetic, elated, or irritable.[1] Individuals often make poorly thought out decisions with little regard to the consequences. The need for sleep is usually reduced during manic phases. During periods of depression, there may be crying, a negative outlook on life, and poor eye contact with others.[1] The risk of suicide among those with the illness is high at greater than 6 percent over 20 years, while self-harm occurs in 30–40 percent.[1] Other mental health issues such as anxiety disorders and substance use disorder are commonly associated. Also known as manic depression. People with bipolar disorder experience the whole spectrum of emotional feelings from unimaginable grief to full blown euphoria whereas normal people experience only a section of the spectrum of emotional feelings somewhere between extreme grief and extreme happiness.[2]
What categories does bipolar disorder fall under?
Bipolar disorder can be described as all of the following:
Mental disorder – functional abnormality or disturbance characterized by a behavioral or mental pattern that may cause suffering or a poor ability to function in life. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitting, or occur as a single episode.
Bipolar I – bipolar disorder with at least one manic episode (with or without psychotic features), possibly with hypomanic and/or depressive episodes as well
Psychotic features – psychosis experienced in some cases of Bipolar I disorder, typically during mania or a severe depressive episode
Bipolar II – bipolar disorder categorized by depressive episodes and at least one hypomanic episode, no manic episode experienced
Cyclothymia – a milder form of bipolar disorder with predominantly depressive symptoms and some symptoms of hypomania, does not meet diagnostic severity of bipolar I or II
Dysthymia – akin to depression, with chronic symptoms
Major depressive disorder – a mood disorder involving low mood, low energy, poor self-esteem, lack of interest in enjoyable activities, and/or aches and pains
Mania – a state of hyperactivity, heightened mood (euphoric or irritable), low sleep, pressured speech, grandiosity, and/or racing thoughts; may include psychotic features like delusions or hallucinations
Mixed affective state – a state with traits of both mania and depression (e.g. irritability, low mood, suicidality, and racing thoughts at the same time)
Hypomania – an episode of elevated mood, similar to mania with milder symptomatic severity