"Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks."

The above description comes from nimh.gov and seems to be fairly accurate in its assessment of the disorder.

I don't have this disorder myself nor do I know a lot of specifics about it but with this chapter, I did a lot of research to find out more to share with you guys. So if I left something out or something didn't sound quite right, please don't hesitate to let me know for future editing.

People who suffer from Bipolar Disorder frequently have mood swings - one day you can be really high and happy, you feel amazing and the next day, you can be really low. You're sad all day, you feel depressed, empty - you don't want to get out of bed. The highs and lows can be seen as 'poles' which is where the word 'bipolar' comes from.

Those mood swings are categorized as 'manic episodes' and can also involve feeling irritable and impulsive. Some people even experience delusions or hallucinations during their episodes.

There are actually three types of Bipolar Disorder though - Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Cyclothymic Disorder.

Bipolar I Disorder is the most severe of the types and manic episodes can last for weeks at a time with extreme erratic behavior throughout.

Bipolar II Disorder is much less severe of the two, while this type does have manic episodes as well, they aren't nearly as extreme.

And lastly, while those who have Cyclothymic Disorder have manic episodes and depressive behavior, the symptoms can last for at least 2 years, if not more. But they are not as severe as in the 2 previous types.

Some symptoms of mania can include excessive happiness or excitement, restlessness, rapid speech, increased as well as loss of energy, sadness, poor judgement, impulsivity, irritability, trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, uncontrollable crying, and insomnia.

Bipolar Disorder can also be genetic and run in families. People usually develop it during late adolescences or young adulthood, although more rarely, there have been children who have developed it as well.

Women, though, tend to develop it later in life and also experience seasonal mood changes.

While genetics do factor in, it can also be caused by trauma, a high amount of stress, drug or alcohol abuse, and other health conditions.

People with bipolar disorder are more likely to have seasonal depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Lastly, before I end this chapter, I'll dispel this stereotype/theory - just because you or a loved one may have Bipolar Disorder and does not have any violent tendencies, doesn't mean that you should be off medication. I've heard that before and I have to say, it's just untrue. Just because during mood changes, you don't become violent or harmful to others or yourself does not mean that deciding to be off medication is a good idea.

The medication is there to help lessen the highs and lows, become more chemically balanced, and over all, it seems to help those who have it control it better so that they can lead happier lives without the debilitating symptoms. Obviously, it's a personal choice depending on the severity but that's just my opinion here.

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and that I was able to dispel some theories as well as give some new facts about the disorder you may or may not have heard before :) Next up, I'll be talking about Schizophrenia, a disorder that in my opinion is very overlooked and misjudged and later, a rarer condition. I hope y'all will check it out :)