“When you are mad, mad like this, you don't know it. Reality is what you see. When what you see shifts, departing from anyone else's reality, it's still reality to you.”
-Marya Hornbacher
Bipolar Diosorder
Definition
There are three categories of Bipolar Disorder, including:
- Bipolar I
- Bipolar II
- Cyclothymic (A milder form of bipolar disorder that involves frequent mood swings and hypomania and depressive symptoms.)
What are the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar I:
Diagnosed when a person is in a manic episode. Includes uncomfortable irritability and feeling of high sensations or “revved up”. Depressive episodes included sadness and hopelessness
Bipolar II:
Someone having at least 1 major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode. They can function as usual in between the episodes. They have other mental illnesses like anxiety or substance use disorders in addition to Bipolar II disorder.
Cyclothymic Disorder:
Cyclothymic disorder symptoms include: For at least two years, periods of hypomanic and depressive symptoms that do not fall in the category of hypomanic or depressive episodes. Mood swings lasting for at least a year and have never stopped longer than 2 months.
Did you know?
Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population age 18 and older every year.
An equal number of men and women develop bipolar illness and it is found in all ages, races, ethnic groups and social classes.
nimh.nih.gov
Bipolar Disorder may be at least as common among youth as among adults.
In a recent NIMH study, one percent of adolescents ages 14 to 18 were found to have met criteria for bipolar disorder or cyclothymia in their lifetime.
nimh.nih.gov
In Popular Culture
Movies
- Touched with Fire
- Silver Linings Playbook
- The Ghost and the Whale
TV Shows
- Shameless (Ian)
- Euphoria (Netflix)
- Homeland
Songs
- I HATE EVERYBODY - Halsey
- 911 - Lady Gaga
Podcasts
- Mr. Joe’s Bipolar Podcast - Mr. Joe
- The Bipolar Family