Health Topics for Mental and Emotional Health

Department of Psychiatry

Manic or bipolar depression

Most of us have normal ups and downs with how we feel. People with bipolar disorder experience these in an extreme form. Manic- depression is the old name for what we now call bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder have different kinds of moods called manic and hypomanic episodes. Most have had, or will have, periods of depression as well.

Bipolar disorder affects millions of Americans. It affects equal numbers of men and women. Most show the first signs of this illness between their teens and their fifties. Bipolar disorder is a medical disorder. It must be treated with medication, not just with therapy. The most common cause for a manic episode is that a person has stopped or missed taking their medication. Support groups or individual counseling can help people learn to live with the disorder.

A manic episode occurs when a person has a period of drastic changes in mood. A person in this kind of episode often seems "high" without taking drugs. During this time, the person may show signs, such as:

• need little or no sleep
• talk much more than usual
• be very distractible
• be more irritable
• jump from topic to topic
• seem anxious, jittery, or unable to keep still
• be more active than usual
• seem conceited or boastful
• not think about consequences
• spend wildly
• have unusual sexual encounters or
• drive recklessly

In a manic episode, a person may have totally unrealistic ideas. When people are in full manic episodes, their lives at home and work are severely affected. Many times they end up in the hospital. People can also have mixed episodes. In a mixed episode, someone may have symptoms of depression and mania at the same time.

If someone you know seems to be having a manic episode, get help immediately. They may need to be hospitalized for their own protection and treatment.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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