Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder, formerly known and sometimes still referred to as manic depression, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts, spikes, and drops in mood, energy, activity levels, and the inability to carry out daily tasks. People with Bipolar Disorder experience unusually intense emotional states that occur in distinct periods called “mood episodes.” Each mood episode represents a drastic change from a person’s usual mood and behavior. An overly joyful or excited state is called a manic episode and an extremely sad or hopeless state is called a depressive episode. Sometimes, a mood episode includes symptoms of both mania and depression. This is called a mixed state.