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Bipolar Disorder »

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder, also called manic depression, is a mental illness that is characterized by severe mood swings, repeated episodes of depression, and at least one episode of mania. Bipolar disorder is one kind of mood disorder that afflicts more than 1% of adults in the United States, up to as many as 4 million people. Here are some additional statistics about bipolar disorder:

• Bipolar disorder is the fifth leading cause of disability worldwide.
• Bipolar disorder is the ninth leading cause of years lost to death or disability worldwide.
• The number of individuals with bipolar disorder who commit suicide is 60 times higher than that of the general population.
• People who have bipolar disorder are at a higher risk of also suffering from substance abuse and other mental health problems.
• Males may develop bipolar disorder earlier in life compared to females.
• Blacks are sometimes dia...

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