Also called: Also called: Manic-depressive illness
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness. People who have it experience dramatic mood swings. They may go from overly energetic, "high" and/or irritable, to sad and hopeless, and then back again. They often have normal moods in between. The up feeling is called mania. The down feeling is depression.
Bipolar disorder can run in families. It usually starts in late adolescence or early adulthood. If you think you may have it, tell your health care provider. A medical checkup can rule out other illnesses that might cause your mood changes.
Untreated, bipolar disorder can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. However, there are effective treatments: medicines and "talk therapy". A combination usually works best.
National Institute of Mental Health
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Bipolar Disorder(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/depression/625.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/mentalhealth/depression/625.printerview.html
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Bipolar Disorder
(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder-easy-to-read.shtml
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Bipolar Disorder(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-publication.shtml
- Bipolar Disorder(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/bipolar-disorder/DS00356/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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JAMA Patient Page: Bipolar Disorder(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/301/5/564.pdf
- Kids' Risks Increase When Parents Are Bipolar(03/04/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81310.html
- Bipolar Disorder across the Lifespan(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_bipolar_lifespan
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Dual Diagnosis and Recovery(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_dualdiag
Also available in Spanish http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/ddspanish.pdf
- Signs and Symptoms of Mood Disorders(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Signs_symptoms
- Anticonvulsants Drugs(Consumers Union of U.S.) - http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/anticonvulsants.htm
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Antipsychotic Drugs(Consumers Union of U.S.) - http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/antipsychotics.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/Antipsychs-SpanishFINAL.pdf
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/electroconvulsive-therapy/MY00129/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Finding Peace of Mind: Treatment Strategies for Bipolar Disorder(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_fpom
- Getting the Treatment You Need(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_depression_treatmentmain
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Medications(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/medications/complete-publication.shtml
- Psychotherapy: How It Works and How It Can Help(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_psychotherapy
- Understanding Hospitalization for Mental Health(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_hospital
- Food and Mood(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Links to PDF - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/foodmoode2.pdf
- Bipolar Personal Calendar(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=empower_personalcalendar
- Wellness at Work(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Large PDF file - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/work.pdf
- Healthy Lifestyles: Improving and Maintaining the Quality of Your Life(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_healthy
- Next Steps: Getting the Treatment You Need to Reach Real Recovery(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Large PDF file - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/NextSteps.pdf
- Recovery Steps(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=recoverysteps
- Saying No to Negative Thinking(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Links to PDF - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/negthinkb.pdf
- Working toward Wellness(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Large PDF file - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_wellnesswkbk
- You've Just Been Diagnosed...(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_justdiag
- Bipolar Disorder: Rapid Cycling and Its Treatment(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Large PDF file - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/rapidcycling.pdf
- Cyclothymia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/cyclothymia/DS00729/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Mania (Unipolar Disorder)(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/print/sec07/ch101/ch101c.html
- Types of Bipolar Disorder(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_bipolar_types
- Bipolar Disorder and African Americans(Mental Health America) - http://www.nmha.org/index.cfm?objectId=C7DF8995-1372-4D20-C85ABFB47A928F11
- Bipolar Disorder and Alcoholism: Are They Related?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/bipolar-disorder/AN00920/METHOD=print
- Finding a Mental Health Professional: A Personal Guide(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Links to PDF - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/finding.pdf
- Getting Better Sleep: What You Need to Know(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_sleepless
- Helping a Friend or Family Member with Depression or Bipolar Disorder(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Links to PDF - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_helping
- Mental Health Providers: Find One to Suit Your Needs(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mental-health/MH00008/METHOD=print
- Mood Disorders and Other Illnesses(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_mooddisorders
- Psychiatric Hospitalization: A Guide for Families(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_familyhospital
- Understanding Suicidal Thinking(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Large PDF file - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/suicidefinalweb04.pdf
- What Is Bipolar Disorder? A Guide to Hope and Recovery for African Americans(Mental Health America) - Large PDF file - http://www.nmha.org/go/information/get-info/bipolar-disorder/-what-is-bipolar-disorder-a-guide-to-hope-and-recovery-for-african-americans
- Mental Health Screening Center(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_screening_screeningcenter
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Bipolar Disorder(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Bipolar+Disorder%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Mood Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Mood+Disorders%22
- Clinical Trials(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_ClinicalTrialsMain
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Family-Focused Therapy Effective in Treating Depressive Episodes of Bipolar Youth(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2008/family-focused-therapy-effective-in-treating-depressive-episodes-of-bipolar-youth.shtml
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Largest Study to Date on Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Describes Disease Characteristics and Short-Term Outcomes(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2006/largest-study-to-date-on-pediatric-bipolar-disorder-describes-disease-characteristics-and-short-term-outcomes.shtml
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Potential New Target Found for Developing Medications to Treat Bipolar Disorder(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2008/potential-new-target-found-for-developing-medications-to-treat-bipolar-disorder.shtml
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Symptoms Persist As Bipolar Children Grow Up(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2008/symptoms-persist-as-bipolar-children-grow-up.shtml
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Generalized anxiety disorder and psychiatric comorbidities such as depression, bipolar... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19371501&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Bipolar disorder: from genes to behavior pathways. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19339764&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Clinical and demographic factors associated with homelessness and incarceration among... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19299667&tool=MedlinePlus
- Bipolar Disorder -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=bipolar+disorder[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Find a Mental Health Professional(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=empower_professional_referral
- Find a Support Group in Your Community(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=support_supportgroups
- Mental Health Services Locator(Center for Mental Health Services) - http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance - http://www.dbsalliance.org/
- Mental Health America - http://www.nmha.org/
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NAMI - http://www.nami.org/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Inform_Yourself/NAMI_en_español/NAMI_en_español.htm
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National Institute of Mental Health - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
- Legal Issues of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder(Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation) - http://www.bpkids.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lrn_index_4
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Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america.shtml
- Bipolar Disorder(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/learning_problem/bipolar_disorder.html
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Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder-in-children-and-teens-easy-to-read.shtml
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Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens: A Parent's Guide(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder-in-children-and-teens-a-parents-guide/index.shtml
- Education Issues of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder(Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation) - http://www.bpkids.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lrn_default
- Helping Children and Youth with Bipolar Disorder: Systems of Care(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/sma05-4058/
- Storm in My Brain: Kids and Mood Disorders (Bipolar Disorder and Depression)(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Large PDF file - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/storm.pdf
- Bipolar Disorder(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/bipolar.html
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Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens: A Parent's Guide(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder-in-children-and-teens-a-parents-guide/index.shtml
- Is It Just a Mood or Something Else?(Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - Links to PDF - http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/mood.pdf
- Managing Pregnancy and Bipolar Disorder(NAMI) - http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Research/Managing_Pregnancy_and_Bipolar_Disorder.htm
- Depression - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/depression.html
- Mental Health and Behavior - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealthandbehavior.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Bipolar Disorder is the National Institute of Mental Health - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
Bipolar Disorder - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/bipolardisorder.html