Mania Vs. Depression and Bipolar Disorder

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.

Also, from All About Life Changes:

[http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/manic-depressive.htm]

Manic depressive - What does it mean?

Manic depressive refers to mood swings from overly “high” (manic) to overly “low” (depressed). Another name for manic-depressive illness is bipolar disorder. This refers to a person’s mood alternating between “poles” of mania (highs) and depression (lows). Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual changes in the person’s mood, energy, and ability to function.

Manic-depressive illness or bipolar disorder affects both men and women. Although it can start at any age, it usually begins in late adolescence. Bipolar disorder is found among people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, and social classes. It appears to have a genetic link and tends to run in families. Unfortunately, in addition to affecting the sufferer’s life, this disease also has the potential to devastate the lives of the caregivers and those in the immediate family circle.

Moreover, from the American Heritage dictionary,  "A manifestation of bipolar disorder, characterized by profuse and rapidly changing ideas, exaggerated sexuality, gaiety, or irritability, and decreased sleep... Violent abnormal behavior."

Further, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research [http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/bipolar-disorder/DS00356/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print] has types of the Bipolar Disorder listed in seperate classifications:

Types of bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is divided into two main subtypes:

• Bipolar I disorder. You've had at least one manic episode, with or without previous episodes of depression.
• Bipolar II disorder. You've had at least one episode of depression and at least one hypomanic episode. A hypomanic episode is similar to a manic episode but much briefer, lasting only a few days, and not as severe. With hypomania, you may have an elevated mood, irritability and some changes in your functioning, but generally you can carry on with your normal daily routine and functioning, and you don't require hospitalization. In bipolar II disorder, the periods of depression are typically much longer than the periods of hypomania.
• Cyclothymia. Cyclothymia is a mild form of bipolar disorder. Cyclothymia includes mood swings but the highs and lows are not as severe as those of full-blown bipolar disorder.

Aside from the weighty medical jargon and polysyllabic terms, "those people" begin to have many identifiable characteristics and traits we may identify in an abundance of other people. Then, when we think long enough, we see those same behaviors inside ourselves.  It's all relative.  For instance, what does the excuse "I do not know what I was thinking!" bring to mind?  Or another:  "I've had way too much coffee already today!"  Makes us all stop and think...

Source Citations:

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

From "The Free Dictionary" by Farflex [http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/mania],

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Original Article: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bipolardisorder.html

All About Life Changes [http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/manic-depressive.htm].

Resource: The National Institute of Mental Heath: www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm.

MedicinePlus [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bipolardisorder.html] National Institutes of Health. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894.

Date last updated: 22 October 2008