About Bipolar Disorder

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Bipolar Disorder: A Web of Information, Treatment, and Support

Once known as manic-depressive illness and still sometimes called by that name, bipolar disorder affects an estimated 5.7 million adults. Teens and children are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder more frequently, too. There is no cure for the disorder, but it can be managed with a combination of medicine and therapy.

About Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is marked by extreme changes in mood. People with bipolar disorder experience periods during which they don’t need to sleep, they feel talkative and energetic, and their minds race. After a few weeks that episode may subside, and in a few months they may slide into a deep depression that also lasts for days or weeks. Behaviors in either extreme may have disastrous consequences on relationships, finances, and careers.

Dulcinea's Insight

  • It helps to think of bipolar disorder in terms of a straight line, with mania at one end and depression at the other. Instead of hovering around the middle of that line, like most people, people with bipolar disorder have episodes that swing from one end to the other.
  • Bipolar disorder is often abbreviated as BP or BD online.

Dulcinea's Picks

For an introduction …
The Bipolar Disorder Glossary is part of GlaxoSmithKline’s Web site for its bipolar medication Lamictal, but the page is free of marketing jargon and offers a concise, useful index of terms.
go to site »
Psych Central is a site created and run by psychologists with a thorough introduction to the disorder.
go to site »
Mental Health America used to be the National Mental Health Association. Besides a general overview of bipolar disorder available in English and in Spanish, the site has information geared specifically toward African Americans. Though bipolar disorder is no more prevalent in African Americans than in other groups, MHA says they are less likely to be diagnosed.
go to site »
The National Institute of Mental Health has a succinct introduction to bipolar disorder, with an interesting quote from a book about the disorder.
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HealthyPlace.com has a good breakdown of the mood changes and the different types of bipolar disorder. Post in the forums or keep your own public journal on the site.
go to site »

Video Reference

This video provides a general overview of bipolar disorder, including symptoms, means of detection, risk factors and more, as well as clear explanations and commentary from both doctors and patients.
For children …
The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation provides an overview of the disorder and explains how it manifests itself differently in children.
go to site »
TeensHealth has a page dedicated to bipolar disorder that includes personal stories from teens who have been diagnosed.
go to site »
Neuroscience for Kids is a University of Washington project that has a child-friendly explanation of bipolar disorder. It includes pictures of the brain and neurons, along with links defining technical terms, such as “glial cells.”
go to site »
Back to Top

Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown, but researchers theorize that a mix of family ... read more »

Treating Bipolar Disorder

Medication is the starting point for any bipolar treatment. Lithium is a medication that has been ... read more »

Living with Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a difficult condition to manage. According to Mental Health America ... read more »

Bipolar Disorder Support

Though the number of people with bipolar disorder may seem small, there is a large online community ... read more »

Bipolar Disorder News and Research

There is no shortage of research being done on bipolar disorder, including genetic studies and ... read more »

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