Episodes of mania and depression typically recur across the life span. Between episodes, most people with bipolar disorder are free of symptoms, but as… » »   

Both children and adolescents can develop bipolar disorder. It is more likely to affect the children of parents who have the illness.

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Scientists are learning about the possible causes of bipolar disorder through several kinds of studies. Most scientists now agree that there is no single… » »   

Most people with bipolar disorder—even those with the most severe forms—can achieve substantial stabilization of their mood swings and related symptoms with proper treatment.… » »   

Research has shown that people with bipolar disorder are at risk of switching into mania or hypomania, or of developing rapid cycling, during treatment… » »   

Some people with bipolar disorder become suicidal. Anyone who is thinking about committing suicide needs immediate attention, preferably from a mental health professional or… » »   

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function.… » »   

Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly “high” and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood… » »   

Like other mental illnesses, bipolar disorder cannot yet be identified physiologically—for example, through a blood test or a brain scan. Therefore, a diagnosis of… » »   

More than two-thirds of people with bipolar disorder have at least one close relative with the disorder or with unipolar major depression, indicating that… » »