Bipolar Disorder
The phenomenon of bipolar disorder has been a mystery since the 16th century. ... Bipolar disorder is a psychological disorder characterized by the alteration between states of deep depression and extreme elation. ... Researchers have identified a number of genes that may be linked to the disorder, including chromosome 18. ... Bipolar disorder involves cycles of hypomania, mania, and depression. ... There are several types of bipolar disorders, depending on the nature of the illness. The main types are Bipolar I disorder, Bipolar II disorder, and cyclothymiacs disorder. Bipolar I includes individuals who have had at least one full manic or mixed mood episode, and may or may not suffer from episodes of depression. Bipolar II may go unrecognized because the hypomanic symptoms may not appear that unusual. Cyclothymiacs disorder includes individuals who have suffered numerous depressive symptoms over at least a two-year period and that it is not severe in duration to meet the criteria for a mood episode. Effective treatments are now available that can reduce the suffering caused by bipolar disorder. Lithium carbonate is the drug of choice used to control both depression and mania in people with bipolar disorder.