Bipolar Disorder

Nature of Disorder

Prevalence rates are generally believed to be approximately 1% of the U.S. population. Bipolar disorder appears to occur equally in both genders. Onset is typically around 20 years of age, although it can happen throughout the life span. If the onset occurs in advanced age, it more likely has a medical cause. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness that is manifested by alternating episodic mood states from mania to depression to normal baseline, although some people will not experience discreet episodes of depression. Without treatment, individuals may experience more than 10 of these episodes, each of which may persist for weeks to months. About one third of individuals with bipolar disorder will have chronic symptoms. With appropriate treatment, the total number of episodes and frequency of occurrence can be significantly reduced.

Numerous well-documented and -researched clinical trials have demonstrated that primary bipolar disorder is a biologic illness that can be stabilized but not cured with appropriate medications. Its cause to date is unknown, although many hypotheses have been postulated based on results from cutting-edge biomolecular research. There is also a genetic component to this illness, as mood disorders are often present in relatives.

Diagnosis

The term bipolar indicates the existence of two “poles” of symptoms marked by different mood states described as depression and mania. This does not imply that a person who experiences mood swings has bipolar disorder. A constellation of researched symptoms is needed to diagnose manic and depressive states. These symptoms are delineated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th edition, text revision (DSM IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) utilized by mental health clinicians to diagnose the full range of psychiatric disorders.