• Types of depression
• Adjustment disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Dythymic disorder
• Major depression
• Seasonal disorder
• Unspecified depression

• Getting help
• Helping yourself
• Seeking professional help
• Helping a depressed person

• Suicidal mind
• Talking about suicide
• Are you suicidal?
• Sucide is not the answer

Bipolar disorder

Like MDD, bipolar disorder(also known as manic depressive illness) is associated with periods of intense depression characterized by the same types of symptoms. However, unlike MDD, bipolar disorder is also associated with periods of intensely high, elevated, or irritable mood known as manic or bypomanic episodes(manic episodes are more severe than hypomanic episodes, last longer, and are associated with greater impairment).

The types of symptoms that are experienced during manic and hypomanic episodes include:

• Feel extremely happy or very irritable.
• Have a very high opinion of himself or herself (inflated self-esteem).
• Not need as much sleep as usual (feel rested after 3 hours of sleep).
• Talk more than usual.
• Be more active than usual.
• Have difficulty concentrating because of having too many thoughts at once (racing thoughts).
• Be easily distracted by sights and sounds.
• Act impulsively or do reckless things, such as go on shopping sprees, drive recklessly, get into foolish business ventures, or have frequent, indiscriminate, or unsafe sex.

You may be very creative and feel that mania is an extremely positive experience. However, during a manic phase, you may also have symptoms of psychosis, when you see or hear things that are not there. Manic and hypomanic episodes typically last from a few days to a few weeks, and they are often preceded by an episode of depression.

During a phase of depression, you may have overwhelming feelings of worthlessness that often lead to thoughts of suicide.

Other symptoms:

• Feel sad or anxious for a significant time.
• Have slowed thoughts and speech because of low energy.
• Have difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
• Have changes in eating and sleeping habits leading to too much or too little eating or sleeping.
• Have decreased interest in usual activities, including sex.
• Not enjoy things he or she normally would.

There are two types of bipolar disorder. Bipolar I and Bipolar II.

Bipolar I

Bipolar I is the classic, textbook form of bipolar disorder, which characterizes about 35-40% of all patients. These patients alternate between extreme, fully syndromal depressions and manias or mixed affective episodes, with or without a return to normalcy in betwee. The bipolar I form is perhaps easy to diagnose and the most predictable in terms of tis future course.

Bipolar II

Approximately 40-45% of bipolar patients alternate between periods of deep depression and milder, less destructive manic states. When these patients become hypomanic, they experience euphoria, irritability, flight of ideas, or other symptoms(also mentioned above), but do not become psychotic and usually do not need to be hospitalized. In some bipolar II patients, hypomania occurs mainly in reaction to taking antidepressant medications, but this has not been found in all studies. Bipolar II patients are disproportionately women.

Sometimes, the relatives of bipolar II patients do not notice distinct hypomanic periods and instead describe the patient as mainly depressed. These relatives may report that the patient has always been hard driving, reactive, irritable, or high in energy. However, in other cases, the hupomanic periods of the bipolar II disorder are relatively distinct, and lead to disruptions in the patient's family relationships. Some relatives come to fear hypomanic episodes, knowing that these often leave full-blown depressions in their wake.

The pattern of mood swings in bipolar disorder varies widely between individuals. Some people only have a couple of bipolar episodes in their lifetime and are stable in between, while others may experience many episodes. The depression phase often comes first. Initially, you may be diagnosed with clinical depression, and then have a manic episode some time later (sometimes years later), after which your diagnosis might change.

Although bipolar disorder shares features with MDD, there are also important differences between these illnesses. Most important, the role of biological factors is much better established in bipolar disorder than in MDD, and it is generally accepted that effective treatment of bipolar disorder almost always includes medication as a component.

Bipolar disorder is less prevalent that MDD.

How common is bipolar depression?

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is not fully understood, but the condition seems to run in families. It is a relatively common condition, with around 1 person in 100 being diagnosed as having bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder can occur at any age, but often develops between 18-24 years of age. Both men and women, and people from all backgrounds can develop it.