Learn More
See, Play and Learn
Research
Resources
For You
Summary
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 Health
Symptoms
- (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) Also in
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Mental Health Screening
(National Library of Medicine)
Treatments and Therapies
- (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
-
(National Institute of Mental Health)
-
(National Institute of Mental Health)
-
(National Institute of Mental Health)
Living With
- (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
- (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - PDF
Related Issues
- (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in
- (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in
- (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
Specifics
-
(National Institutes of Health)
- (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
-
(National Institute of Mental Health)
- (Mental Health America)
Genetics
-
(National Library of Medicine)
Health Check Tools
- (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
Striking laughter
- (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
-
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
- (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- (NAMI)
-
(National Institute of Mental Health)
-
- (American Psychological Association)
Children
-
(National Institute of Mental Health) Also in
- (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - PDF
Teenagers
- (Nemours Foundation) Also in
-
(National Institute of Mental Health) Also in
Patient Handouts
- Bipolar disorder (On it differed) Also in Spanish