More than 3 million Americans have bipolar disorder. This mental health disorder causes you to experience dramatic changes in mood. It also affects your energy and activity levels. When your energy levels are high, you feel great and are in a manic state. When your energy levels plummet, you feel depressed and lethargic. These two moods are on opposite poles or extremes, which leads to the term bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is one of the more common mood disorders.

From the community:“Exactly like how do you explain bipolar to someone else when you cant even explain it to yourself. I just feel stuck all the time. I want so bad to go back to work and be "normal" but i know thats not possible so i try to find acceptance. I have been having a lot more good days lately since they have changed my meds and i increased my daily workouts to 45 min but their are still those dark days and sometimes they sneak up on me and suck me in and its hard to get out sometimes…” – Inspire member

What is a mood disorder?

Mood disorders affect your emotional state, also known as your mood. Nearly 1 in 10 Americans experience a mood disorder in any given year. The two main types — depression and bipolar disorder — affect adults, children, and teenagers.

Mood disorders are also known as affective disorders because they impact your emotions. While everyone experiences periods of happiness and sadness, people with mood disorders have overly intense emotions that interfere with their ability to enjoy life, have meaningful relationships or friendships, or hold down a job. The mental disorder can affect their physical health too. 

What is bipolar disorder?

People with bipolar disorder have intense mood episodes that are vastly different from your typical ups and downs. Symptoms of bipolar disorder can vary depending on a person’s emotional state.

Moods can fluctuate between:

• high-energy moods (mania), which often present as euphoria or unrealistic beliefs in oneself

• normal, or regulated, moods like most people without bipolar disorder experience

• low-energy moods (depression), which may cause you to feel sad or hopeless 

What are the types of bipolar disorder?

The different types of bipolar disorder include:

• bipolar 1 disorder

• bipolar 2 disorder

• cyclothymic disorder (cyclothymia)

• unspecified bipolar disorder

Bipolar 1 disorder

People with bipolar 1 disorder experience periods of mania that last for at least one week. Some people experience extreme manic symptoms that require hospitalization. A depressive episode may or may not occur with bipolar 1 disorder. When depression occurs, it typically lasts a couple of weeks. Someone who has both manic and depressive episodes is experiencing mixed features, or a mix of manic and depressive symptoms.

Bipolar 2 disorder

Bipolar 2 disorder causes depressive episodes, as well as hypomanic episodes. Hypomania is less severe than full-blown mania. These hypomanic episodes may only last for four consecutive days. Depressive episodes are much more common with bipolar 2 disorder. The depression can become debilitating.

Cyclothymic disorder (cyclothymia)

Cyclothymic disorder, or cyclothymia, is a milder type of bipolar. It causes numerous, large changes in moods that cycle between hypomanic and depressive symptoms. The high and low cycles change often, but the symptoms are less severe than with bipolar 1 or 2 disorders. The fast-changing moods only allow for brief periods of normal, regulated emotions.

Unspecified bipolar disorder

Some people experience unusual and significantly elevated emotions, yet they don’t meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar 1 or 2 disorder, or cyclothymia. They have an unspecified (or other specified) bipolar disorder. 

From the community: “My moods have always had a cyclical nature. I have always attributed it to PMDD, but it seems like now I get maybe one good week a month. I recently switched from Luvox to Prozac (30 mg.) and hit target dose right as I got my period. For two weeks I felt like a new person. I felt joy again and spent little time on self hate or food obsession (Binge Eating Disorder). Now, I'm two week before my next period and the negative thoughts are creeping back in. Any thoughts? They're getting harder to keep at bay. My prescribed had been on the fence between Cyclothymia and a major depressive episode before...” – Inspire member 

What causes bipolar disorder?

Medical experts are still trying to determine why some people develop bipolar disorder. Changes in brain development, structure, or neurotransmitters may play a role. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that send messages between your brain, body, and nerves. When something changes the way neurotransmitters communicate, it may trigger bipolar disorder in some people. 

Who is at risk for bipolar disorder?

As many as 8 in 10 people with bipolar disorder have a close relative who has a mood disorder like bipolar disorder or depression. Other risk factors include experiencing an extremely stressful or traumatic life event like the death of a loved one or a life-changing accident or illness.

What’s the difference between bipolar disorder and manic depression?

Bipolar disorder, manic depression, and manic-depressive illness all refer to the same mood disorder. To diagnose bipolar disorder and other mental health disorders, psychiatrists or other doctors refer to the disease criteria set forth by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).  

The most recent fifth edition, DSM-5-TR, came out in 2022. The first edition, published in 1952, includes diagnostic criteria for manic depression, which is incorrectly listed as a psychotic disorder. The third edition of the DSM came out in 1980 and uses the term bipolar disorder instead of manic depression. 

The APA made this change to be more inclusive of all types of bipolar disorder. The term manic depression excluded cyclothymia and hypomania. In addition, the terms manic and mania have a negative association with the word “maniac.” Bipolar disorder is a more clinical, medical term that may lessen the stigma of mental illness.

What does it mean to have bipolar disorder?

A psychiatrist, another doctor, or a different mental health professional refers to the DSM to diagnose bipolar disorder and determine the disease type. You must meet certain symptom criteria for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

Treatments for bipolar disorder often include taking medications and participating in mental health counseling like psychotherapy. 

Sources

• What are bipolar disorders? American Psychiatric Association. January 2021.

• Bipolar disorder. Cleveland Clinic. April 2022.

• Cyclothymia. Cleveland Clinic. June 2018.

• Mood disorders. Cleveland Clinic. July 2018.

• Mood disorders. Johns Hopkins Medicine.

• Bipolar disorder. MedlinePlus. September 2021.

• Bipolar disorder. Mental Health America.

• Overview of mood disorders. Merck Manual. August 2021.

• Bipolar disorder. National Alliance on Mental Illness. August 2017.

• Any mood disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. 

• Bipolar disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. October 2018.

Disclaimer

Member comments are lightly edited for length and to remove identifying information but are otherwise reproduced as they appear in the community as part of public posts.

This content is for general informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of any organization or individual. The content should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.