what is bi-polar?

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Answers:
Bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) is a serious, lifelong medical condition. It affects more than 2 million people in the United States.
Bipolar disorder is a treatable illness. And when symptoms are treated, life can be better.
The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown. It’s a medical condition. Bipolar disorder may be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain, genetics, or abnormalities in brain structure.
People with bipolar disorder can have mood swings, including depression (extreme lows) and mania (extreme highs).
A period of depression or mania is called an episode. Individuals may experience episodes of depression or mania throughout life.
Episodes may be separated by long periods with few or no symptoms. To help keep bipolar disorder under control, medication is often taken even when few or no symptoms are present.
What are the types of episodes in bipolar disorder?

Depression
While most people feel sad or "down in the dumps" from time to time, people with bipolar disorder may have depression that is so severe they cannot function. They may not have the energy to get out of bed or to eat, and they do not enjoy the things they used to.
Bipolar depression can come back again. Worst of all, a person with bipolar depression may begin to think of suicide.
Mania
Mania is the other side of bipolar disorder. Episodes of mania can range from mild to severe or even mixed.
Mania can start with a pleasurable sense of high energy, creativity, and social ease. Soon it may progress to extreme highs, agitation, and irritability. Increased irritability can lead to arguments with family members and friends. Some individuals may even become violent.
Hypomania
Most of the symptoms of hypomania are the same as mania, but milder. A person may feel better than usual and may be more productive. But the "feel good" period can develop into full-blown mania or depression.
Mixed
During mixed episodes, symptoms of mania and depression occur at the same time or flip-flop throughout the day. People with mixed episodes may be at risk for suicide.
What are the types of bipolar disorder?

There are several types of mood disorders:
Bipolar I disorder (BP I) is the most common type of bipolar disorder, in which a person has one or more manic or mixed episodes. Often, individuals also had one or more depressive episode.
Bipolar II disorder (BP II) is a classification of bipolar disorder in which a person has one or more major depressive episodes and at least one episode of hypomania (a milder version of mania).
Cyclothymic disorder is a long-term fluctuating mood disturbance with periods of hypomanic and depressive symptoms.
What is rapid cycling?

Rapid cycling in bipolar disorder is defined as at least 4 episodes of a mood disturbance within a year. These mood swing episodes may be:
Manic
Mixed
Hypomanic
Depressive
The episodes are followed by a return to normal or near-normal moods, or a switch to a completely opposite mood episode. Visit www.bipolar.com for more detailed information about bipolar disorder.

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Bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) is a serious, lifelong medical condition. It affects more than 2 million people in the United States.
Bipolar disorder is a treatable illness. And when symptoms are treated, life can be better.
The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown. It’s a medical condition. Bipolar disorder may be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain, genetics, or abnormalities in brain structure.
People with bipolar disorder can have mood swings, including depression (extreme lows) and mania (extreme highs).
A period of depression or mania is called an episode. Individuals may experience episodes of depression or mania throughout life.
Episodes may be separated by long periods with few or no symptoms. To help keep bipolar disorder under control, medication is often taken even when few or no symptoms are present.
What are the types of episodes in bipolar disorder?

Depression
While most people feel sad or "down in the dumps" from time to time, people with bipolar disorder may have depression that is so severe they cannot function. They may not have the energy to get out of bed or to eat, and they do not enjoy the things they used to.
Bipolar depression can come back again. Worst of all, a person with bipolar depression may begin to think of suicide.
Mania
Mania is the other side of bipolar disorder. Episodes of mania can range from mild to severe or even mixed.
Mania can start with a pleasurable sense of high energy, creativity, and social ease. Soon it may progress to extreme highs, agitation, and irritability. Increased irritability can lead to arguments with family members and friends. Some individuals may even become violent.
Hypomania
Most of the symptoms of hypomania are the same as mania, but milder. A person may feel better than usual and may be more productive. But the "feel good" period can develop into full-blown mania or depression.
Mixed
During mixed episodes, symptoms of mania and depression occur at the same time or flip-flop throughout the day. People with mixed episodes may be at risk for suicide.
What are the types of bipolar disorder?

There are several types of mood disorders:
Bipolar I disorder (BP I) is the most common type of bipolar disorder, in which a person has one or more manic or mixed episodes. Often, individuals also had one or more depressive episode.
Bipolar II disorder (BP II) is a classification of bipolar disorder in which a person has one or more major depressive episodes and at least one episode of hypomania (a milder version of mania).
Cyclothymic disorder is a long-term fluctuating mood disturbance with periods of hypomanic and depressive symptoms.
What is rapid cycling?

Rapid cycling in bipolar disorder is defined as at least 4 episodes of a mood disturbance within a year. These mood swing episodes may be:
Manic
Mixed
Hypomanic
Depressive
The episodes are followed by a return to normal or near-normal moods, or a switch to a completely opposite mood episode. Visit www.bipolar.com for more detailed information about bipolar disorder.

Other Answers:
A mental disease that was called manic depressive. The patient has mood swings from being depressed to being hyperactive, sexually aggressive and irresponsible. Some patients only go through one phase.

The 2nd answer did a great job of discribing what bi polar is but when my b/f asked I gave him this as an example. Every emotion you have, multiply it by 100...lack of logic...total emotion that strikes any time, any where.

I am a rapid cycler...my moods switch back and forth in weeks, days and sometimes, before I was medicated, hours. Every bipolar person is different, like a fingerprint, but we can all relate.

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what is bi-polar?

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