Unfortunately, the risk taking behavior usually results in significant painful consequences such as loss of a job or a relationship, running up excessive debts, or getting into legal difficulties. Many individuals with bipolar disorder abuse drugs or alcohol during manic episodes, and some of these develop secondary substance abuse problems. More than 2 million Americans have manic-depressive illness. It is extremely distressing and disruptive to their lives. Like any serious illness, bipolar disorder also creates problems for spouses, family members, friends, and employers.
Bipolar disorder tends to run in families, and there is strong evidence that it is inherited.
However, despite ongoing research efforts, a specific genetic defect associated with the disease has not yet been identified. Bipolar illness has been diagnosed in children under age 12, although it is not common in this age bracket. A manic episode is an abnormally elevated, expansive or irritable mood, not related to substance abuse or a medical condition, that lasts for at least a week, and includes a number of disturbances in behavior and thinking that results in significant life adjustment problems. Chronic behavior that appears somewhat similar to manic behavior is more likely ADHD or evidence of personality problem. It may be helpful to think of the various mood states in manic-depressive illness as a spectrum or continuous range.