Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder or as its sometimes known, manic depression is a lifelong condition. Its an illness that causes shifts in a person's mood, energy and ability to function.

Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings from overly high to sad and hopeless and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between.

Severe changes in energy and behaviour go along with these changes in mood. The highs are called episodes of mania and the lows are called episodes of depression.

Glossary