MedifocusHealth

Bipolar disorder, also referred to as manic depression, is a disorder of mood that affects adults most often but also occurs in adolescents and children. It is a brain disorder that causes unusual swings in mood, energy, and the ability to function. Bipolar disorder can cause significant impairment of quality of life for patients, their family and friends, and can also affect performance at work and in school. The World Health Organization ranks bipolar disorder as the sixth most important cause of disability in young adults.

In the course of everyday life, we all experience "ups" where we may feel good, productive, optimistic, and happy, and "downs" where we may feel sad, discouraged, or "down on ourselves". We generally do not get mired down in the "down" period and it usually passes in a timely fashion. Bipolar disorder, however, is far more than experiencing the normal ups and downs of everyday life. The moods themselves are much more intense and are called mania and depression and the shifts between moods are extreme. The degree of severity, intensity, and frequency of mood and mood shifts varies with each individual, but in all cases, they are disruptive to relationships, the work/school environment, and quality of life.