An Overview of Bipolar Mood Disorders

             Bipolar disorders (also known as manic-depressive disorders) are a set of mood disorders that involve periods of depression alternating with periods of mania. Mania is much more than being "up" or "hyper". It can be an irritable mood as well as an elevated mood. However, it must last at least a week and it must disrupt social or job functions or require hospitalization to be considered true mania. Mania can be accompanied by grandiosity, lack of sleep, and excessive activity. Hypomania can also be a feature of some sub-types. It is characterized by an elevated mood lasting less than one week and is not disruptive to one's life.
             Bipolar disorder is perhaps one of the most tragic mood disorders, because it virtually taunts with the affected person's mind. Bipolar disorder is a mental condition in which the person alternates between feelings of mania and depression (Kalat, 614). These feelings are extreme opposites, and thus create tremendous mental and physical stress on the person affected. The severe mood fluctuations of bipolar or manic-depressive disorders have been around since the 16-century and affect little more than 2% of the population in both sexes, all races, and all parts of the world (Harmon 3). Researchers think that the cause might be genetic, but it is still not proven. The one fact that we are aware of is that bipolar disorder can severely undermine its' victims ability to obtain and maintain social and occupational success. Because the symptoms of bipolar disorder are so debilitating, it is crucial that we search for possible treatments and cures. The characteristics of bipolar disorder are significant shifts in mood that go from manic episodes to deep depressive episodes in an up and down trip that seemingly never ends.
             There are actually three types of bipolar disorder. In bipolar III disorder there is a family history of mania or hypomania in addition to the person experiencing depressive episodes. This catego...

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