Bipolar Disorder

The term bipolar disorder describes a group of disorders. They have in common two phases of mood disturbance or ‘poles’. Mania is characterised by overactivity, irritability and euphoria. Milder forms of mania are called ‘hypomania’. The other pole is a depressed state which is described in the section on clinical depression. Sometimes patients with this condition can have mixed states where they experience features of mania/hypomania and depression. Bipolar disorder affects about 2% of the population. It can be successfully treated with medication and psychotherapy. The Manic Depression Fellowship website offers some valuable information to people who think they may have the condition and is in the links section