Home
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a serious disorder, but it can be managed and treated successfully.
The extreme highs and lows of bipolar disorder can hurt your job and school performance, damage your relationships, and disrupt your daily life. But you're not powerless when it comes to mania and depression.
Understanding the signs and symptoms and seeking professional help are the first steps to feeling better, but it’s also important to surround yourself with people you can count on, make healthy lifestyle choices, and monitor your moods. With good coping skills and a solid support system, you can live fully and productively and keep the symptoms of bipolar disorder in check.
Articles
Understanding bipolar disorder
- Bipolar Disorder Signs and Symptoms: Recognizing Mania, Hypomania, and Bipolar Depression
Bipolar disorder treatment and self-help
- Bipolar Disorder Treatment: Treatment and Therapy for Bipolar Mania and Bipolar Depression
- Bipolar Support and Self-Help: Living and Coping with Bipolar Disorder
- Helping a Loved One with Bipolar Disorder: Disorder in Children, Teens, and Family Members
- Bipolar Medication Guide: Medications and Drugs for Bipolar Disorder Treatment
Related issues
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health: Substance Abuse and Co-Occurring Disorders
- Dealing with Depression: Self-Help and Coping Tips to Overcome Depression
What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) causes serious shifts in mood, energy, thinking, and behavior—from the highs of mania on one extreme, to the lows of depression on the other. More than just a fleeting good or bad mood, the cycles of bipolar disorder last for days, weeks, or months. And unlike ordinary mood swings, the mood changes of bipolar disorder are so intense that they interfere with your ability to function.
Featured articles
Bipolar Disorder Signs and Symptoms: We all have our ups and downs, but with bipolar disorder, these peaks and valleys are more severe. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder is the first step to getting it under control. MORE »
Bipolar Support and Self-Help: Although bipolar disorder tends to be a lifelong, recurrent illness, there are many things you can do to help yourself. Discover effective ways to reduce your bipolar disorder symptoms and manage your moods. MORE »
Helping a Loved One with Bipolar Disorder: The moods and behaviors of a person with bipolar disorder affect everyone around—especially family members and close friends. Learn what you can do to offer support while still taking care of yourself. MORE »
Related topics
Suicide Prevention
Feeling suicidal is not a character defect, and it doesn’t mean that you are crazy, or weak, or flawed. It only means that you have more pain than you can cope with right now. But with time and support, you can overcome your problems, and the pain and suicidal feelings will pass. Hope is out there and help is available to you. MORE »
Addiction
Substance abuse is very common among people suffering from bipolar disorder. Drugs and alcohol may be used in an attempt to self-medicate, but they can also trigger and prolong depressive and manic episodes. Learn what you need to know to identify addiction, fight cravings, and start your recovery journey. MORE »
