Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
bipolar disorder
bi·po·lar dis·or·der
Subclass of:
Bipolar and Related Disorders
Also called:
Manic-depressive illness
Definitions related to bipolar disorder:
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A disorder of the brain that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Often these moods range and shift from periods of elation and energized behavior to those of hopelessness and depression.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A major affective disorder marked by severe mood swings (manic or major depressive episodes) and a tendency to remission and recurrence.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness. People who have it go through unusual mood changes. They go from very happy, "up," and active to very sad and hopeless, "down," and inactive, and then back again. They often have normal moods in between. The up feeling is called mania. The down feeling is depression. The causes of bipolar disorder aren't always clear. It runs in families. Abnormal brain structure and function may also play a role. Bipolar disorder often starts in a person's late teen or early adult years. But children and adults can have bipolar disorder too. The illness usually lasts a lifetime. If you think you may have it, tell your health care provider. A medical checkup can rule out other illnesses that might cause your mood changes. If not treated, bipolar disorder can lead to damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. However, there are effective treatments to control symptoms: medicine and talk therapy. A combination usually works best. NIH: National Institute of Mental HealthMedlinePlusU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Bipolar disorders are characterized by episodes of mania and depression, which may alternate, although many patients have a predominance of one or the other. Exact cause is unknown, but heredity, changes in the level of brain neurotransmitters, and psychosocial factors may be involved. Diagnosis is based on history. Treatment consists of...Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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Bipolar affective disorder, or manic-depressive illness (MDI), is a common, severe, and persistent mental illness. This condition is a serious lifelong struggle and challenge.WebMD, 2019
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Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
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Bipolar disorder is a type of mental illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, sleep and behavior. Signs and symptoms typically include alternating periods of manic episodes (joyful or excited states) and depressive episodes (very sad, hopeless or empty states). Mood episodes may also include symptoms of both...National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
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Bipolar disorder, previously termed manic depression, is a psychiatric diagnosis characterized by abnormally elevated or irritable mood episode(s) accompanied by disruptive symptoms of distractibility, indiscretions, grandiosity, flight of ideas, hyperactivity, decreased need for sleep, and talkativeness. Manic episodes include a...Athenahealth, Inc., 2019
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Bipolar disorder, mental disorder characterized by recurrent depression or mania with abrupt or gradual onsets and recoveries. There are several types of bipolar disorder, in which the states of mania and depression may alternate cyclically, one mood state may predominate over the other, or they...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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