While those who have not known someone with bipolar disorder or experienced it themselves may think it is very similar to depression, they are not the same thing. Rather, depression is only one component of bipolar disorder. Patients with depression will experience deep sadness that does not dissipate even after depressing events may have passed. Bipolar disorder will manifest not only as depression but will also include periods of mania. The term bipolar refers to the extreme mood swings a person can experience when they have this disorder, often causing them to feel severely depressed for a long period of time before suddenly experiencing a manic episode. To complicate this disorder further, it is also possible for patients with bipolar disorder to experience both depression and mania simultaneously.