Women's Mental Health Home - Mental Health Conditions

Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes dramatic mood swings from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, with periods of normal moods in between.

This disorder typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. It is often not recognized as an illness and people who have it may suffer for years without treatment. There are effective treatments to help symptoms and help prevent further problems from the illness, such as marital breakups, job loss, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide.

Bipolar Disorder

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