Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder

Home » Web Guides » Health » Bipolar Disorder

In This Guide

Most Popular

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.

Expand All Guide Sections

About Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is marked by extreme changes in mood. People with bipolar disorder experience ... read more »

Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown, but researchers theorize that a mix of family history and environmental factors are involved. The chance of a person having bipolar disorder rises if a parent or sibling also has it, but it is not contagious. Researchers have found that major life events, such as a loved one’s death or starting college, can trigger manic or depressive episodes.

Dulcinea's Insight

Bipolar disorder’s symptoms in adults are often confused with depression. In children and teens, it can be confused with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other conditions. The sites recommended below can give you an idea of what to look for and what to bring to your doctor’s attention.

Dulcinea's Picks

For signs and symptoms …

The National Institute of Mental Health has a bipolar disorder site that lists manic and depressive episode symptoms and includes the length of time these episodes must persist to be considered symptoms of the disorder.

go to site »

Psych Central has a brief article outlining some of bipolar disorder’s major symptoms and how those symptoms differ from the normal ups and downs people experience.

go to site »

The Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation offers a free questionnaire to help determine whether a child might be suffering from bipolar disorder. Accessing the 65-question multiple-choice questionnaire is free; having the foundation score it is not. The alternative is to print out the completed questionnaire and take it to a medical or mental health professional.

go to site »

For causes and diagnosis …

Psych Central has an easy-to-read discussion of the genetic, environmental, and neurochemical factors involved in bipolar disorder. It also includes a description of medication-triggered mania.

go to site »

eMedicine has a diagnosis page that is more in-depth but also more technical. It offers an almost step-by-step walk-through of the process of diagnosing someone with bipolar disorder, from ruling out other medical problems to gathering information from friends and family. The page also addresses causes, citing specific studies.

go to site »