What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, is a mental illness that causes extreme mood swings that can make it difficult to complete daily tasks. These mood swings can include manic episodes, where a person feels high, energetic, and elated, and depressive episodes, where a person feels low, sad, and hopeless. Other symptoms include:

• Rapid or jumbled thoughts
• Speaking quickly or being unusually talkative
• Changes in sleep or appetite
• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Inflated self-esteem
• Decreased need for sleep
• Distractibility 

Information Resources

• American Psychiatric Association
• American Psychological Association
• Cleveland Clinic
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
• Mayo Clinic
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Bipolar and related disorders (PDF, PCHC)

Other Resources

• 5 Ways You Can Help a Loved One With Bipolar Disorder (Everyday Health)
• 6 Strategies for Self-Care When You Have Bipolar 1 Disorder (Everyday Health)
• Bipolar Disorder Symptoms and Diagnosis: Understanding Changes in Mood and Other Telltale Patterns (Everyday Health)
• Bipolar Disorder and Dating: 6 Tips for Navigating if One Is Getting in the Way of the Other (Everyday Health)
• 11 Warning Signs of Bipolar Disorder (Everyday Health)
• Autism and the Risk of Bipolar Disorder (SPARK)
• 5 Foods to Avoid if You Have Bipolar Disorder (Everyday Health)
• Warning Signs and Possible Causes of a Bipolar Episode (NAMI)
• 5 Things That Can Sabotage Your Bipolar 1 Disorder Treatment (Everyday Health)
• Why You Need Good Sleep — and How to Get It — if You Have Bipolar Disorder
  (Everyday Health)
• 7 Ways to Cope With Bipolar Disorder During the Holidays (Everyday Health)
• Understanding Bipolar Disorder (NAMI)
• The 10 Most Common Triggers for Bipolar Mood Episodes (Everyday Health)
• The Truth About Bipolar Disorder: 7 Myths and Facts (Everyday Health)
• Hypersexuality and Bipolar Disorder: When Impulsive Sexual Behavior Is Part of a Manic Episode (Everyday Health)
• The 7 Most Effective Ways to Manage Bipolar 1 Disorder (Everyday Health)
• Bipolar Anger: Why It Happens and What Helps (bphope)
• From Irritation to Rage: Understanding Bipolar Anger (bphope)
• 6 Things About Bipolar Anger You Might Not Know (bphope)
• 7 Triggers That Can Lead to a Bipolar Episode (Everyday Health)
• Treatment for Bipolar Disorder: What Are the Options? (Everyday Health)
• Giving Up Bipolar’s Mania: A Hard Goodbye (Everyday Health)
• Why Memory Loss Happens in Bipolar Disorder — and How to Manage It (Everyday Health)
• A Therapist Speaks: What Is Bipolar Disorder Stigma, and How Can We End It? (Everyday Health)

Revised: 11/15/2025 : 16:07