People suffering from bipolar mental disorder were in the earlier days called moody or insane.
It then came to be referred to as manic depression when someone was diagnosed with elevated moods and depression.
Today it is described as bipolar mental disorder or simply bipolar disorder.
It may affect either men or women but it is commonly seen in youth aged between the age of eighteen and twenty four years old.
There are two main phases of the disorder which are the maniac or hypo maniac phase and depression.
A sufferer experiences episodes of high moods or manic episodes and then experiences episodes of depression.
Mania is also categorized further to hypomania and full blown mania.
When a person experiences a hypomaniac episode he/she feels highly energetic and very productive.
On the other hand during a full blown mania the victim tends to have severe elevated moods which make him feel invincible.
Individuals suffering from bipolar mental disorder often have different characteristics depending on their specific genetic formation.
Some sufferers may tend to do things without thinking the consequences that may follow when they are experiencing manic episodes.
They may go for shopping or drinking sprees when they actually don't have enough money in their accounts.
They may take high risks like gambling a lot of money without considering the blow that may hit them later.
Some individuals have been seen to engage in irresponsible sexual acts during the manic episode of bipolar mental disorder.
Eventually, a person suffering from bipolar disorder will have depression episodes after manic episodes.
The depression episodes are characterized by seclusion, Irritability, suicidal thoughts, insomnia and lack of appetite.
Persons suffering from bipolar mental disorder usually have suicidal thoughts and psychiatrists have warned that bipolar disorder has contributed to the suicides reported every year and they seem to be increasing each year according to research.
Bipolar for a long time has not been able to be treated or cured.
Today your average physician may be able to diagnose you with bipolar mental disorder and even treat you using the right procedures.
One of the ways to know whether you are suffering from bipolar disorder is by knowing your medical history well.
If you have ever been diagnosed with bipolar mental disease earlier and find out that you have the above symptoms, you then are positive for the disorder.
It is treated mainly by use of antidepressants which should be prescribed by the doctor.