Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition where someone experiences extreme mood swings. These mood swings can include periods of feeling unusually happy, energetic, or "high" (called mania or hypomania) and periods of feeling very low, sad, or hopeless (called depression). These changes in mood can make it hard for people to go about their daily lives, affecting their work, relationships, and overall well-being.
Manic Episode (for Bipolar I):
This is when a person feels unusually energetic, talkative, and euphoric, sometimes for a week or more. They may feel "on top of the world," with poor judgment and risky behaviors, like spending too much money, acting impulsively, or making decisions they wouldn’t normally make.
Common symptoms of mania include:
Feeling very upbeat or irritable
Decreased need for sleep (e.g., feeling fine after only a few hours of sleep)
Talking a lot more than usual or feeling like thoughts are racing
Doing things more quickly than usual or starting many projects at once
Making poor decisions (like gambling or risky behavior)
Hypomanic Episode (for Bipolar II):
This is a milder form of mania. People may feel energetic and unusually productive, but without the severe symptoms of mania. Hypomania doesn’t cause as much disruption in daily life, but it can still affect relationships and work.
These episodes last for at least 4 days.
Depressive Episode:
This is when a person feels sad, hopeless, or loses interest in things they usually enjoy. A depressive episode lasts for at least two weeks (see Depression and anxiety)
