About the Disease

Bipolar disorder (BD), formerly known as manic-depressive illness or manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes unusual changes in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out everyday tasks. These moods range from periods of extremely elated, irritable, or energized behavior (manic episodes) to sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (depressive episodes). It is a chronic disease that affects the psychology system. Subtypes include bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and cyclothymic disorder (cyclothymia). A fourth subtype, bipolar disorder, other specified and unspecified, occurs when a person does not meet the criteria for other subtypes, but has still experienced clinically significant periods of abnormal mood elevation.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health