Bipolar Disorder
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A diagnosis of bipolar disorder - which was more commonly called manic depression - can be very alarming to a patient or the patient's family. However, treatment is advancing steadily and many symptoms can be controlled. Children, adolescents or adults can suffer this disorder, which is characterized by two opposite extremes of mood: mania and depression. Risk factors can include family history, ADD-HD, stress, abuse, hypothyroidism and even the effect of the time of year. The usual pattern of bipolar disorder is one of increasing intensity and duration of symptoms that progresses slowly over many years. However, symptoms and severity may vary significantly between individuals. Bipolar disorder can be severe and long-term, or it can be mild with infrequent episodes. People can also experience periods of mixed symptoms. |
 Guidebook on Bipolar Disorder |
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