Many artists, musicians and writers have suffered from its mood swings. 1 Bipolar disorder , also known as manic-depressive illness, is a serious brain disease that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and functioning. 2 Men and women are equally likely to develop this disabling illness. The disorder typically emerges in adolescence or early adulthood, but in some cases appears in childhood. The symptom picture frequently includes agitation, trouble sleeping, significant change in appetite, psychosis, and suicidal thinking.
Depressed mood accompanies manic activation.
Especially early in the course of illness, the episodes may be separated by periods of wellness during which a person suffers few to no symptoms. When 4 or more episodes of illness occur within a 12-month period, the person is said to have bipolar disorder with rapid cycling . Bipolar disorder is often complicated by co-occurring alcohol or substance abuse. 4 Severe depression or mania may be accompanied by symptoms of psychosis . Psychotic symptoms associated with bipolar typically reflect the extreme mood state at the time.