Bipolar Disorder: A Brief Introduction

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness marked by periods of mania and depression. It used to be called manic depression. There are three main types of bipolar disorder.

• Bipolar I: Manic episodes that last seven days or more or result in being admitted to the hospital because of severity. Depressive episodes last two weeks or more.
• Bipolar II: Hypomania rather than full blown mania followed by depression. Neither the mania or depressive episodes are felt as strongly by the patient as with Bipolar I.