About bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness, people with bipolar have very severe changes of mood. The old name for bipolar is manic depression. Someone who has bipolar disorder may change between being very low and depressed, and being very manic and high.

The mood changes may happen over a period of weeks, months or years, or may be quicker and last only days or hours, depending on the type of bipolar the person has.

During the low times, the person may feel very depressed, hopeless and despairing. They may self-harm or become suicidal. They can lose their energy and not be able to see the point in going on. They may withdraw socially and stop being able to care for themselves.

During the high times, the person can feel confident, optimistic and as if nothing can touch them. They may feel happy and creative but can also lose their inhibitions, spend recklessly or make unrealistic plans. They might make unwise choices about relationships or lifestyle, and put themselves at risk.

Psychosis  – seeing, hearing or thinking things which are not part of reality - can also be a feature of bipolar disorder, both in depressed and manic states.

The exact causes of bipolar disorder are not known. It can run in families, so someone with a relative who has bipolar may have a higher chance of developing it themselves. It may also be caused by problems in the part of the brain which regulates our moods. Episodes may also be triggered by stress.

Young people who are diagnosed with bipolar often have their first episode during their teens or in early adulthood. It is now recognised that some younger children also suffer from bipolar but diagnosis in children is still rare. This is partly because normal behaviour before and around puberty, caused by the brain developing and hormone changes, can also include mood swings and erratic behaviour.