Overview
A serious mental illness characterized by extreme mood swings. They can include extreme excitement episodes or extreme depressive feelings.
Symptoms
If you’re experiencing new, severe, or persistent symptoms, contact a health care provider.
Symptoms can last over a few weeks, months, or even years. The symptoms vary during the manic and depressive phase. And without any symptoms, in between episodes of mania and depression.
The manic phase is characterized by:
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- Extreme happiness, hopefulness, and excitement
- Irritability, anger, fits of rage and hostile behavior
- Restlessness
- Agitation
- Rapid speech
- Poor concentration and judgment
- Increased energy
- Less need for sleep
- Unusually high sex drive
- Setting unrealistic goals
- Paranoia
The depressive phase may include:
- Sadness and crying
- Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt
- Loss of energy
- Loss of interest or pleasure in everyday activities
- Trouble concentrating and making decisions
- Irritability
- Need for more sleep or sleeplessness
- Change in appetite
- Weight loss/gain
- Suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide
Causes
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- The causes of bipolar disorder differ between individuals, and the exact mechanism is not clear.
- Genetics often reported in families of affected individuals
- Brain structure abnormal brain structure and function
- Seasonal depression and certain other mental illness such as anxiety disorder
– The risk factors include:
- Family history
- Stress
- Drug or alcohol abuse
