Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes dramatic swings in mood. Depending on their type of illness, people with bipolar disorder may alternate between periods of extreme elevated mood and activity or extreme irritability, known as mania, and periods of very low mood, or depression. Psychotherapy and medications can help people manage their bipolar disorders and live productive lives.
Depression is a mood disorder that causes changes in how you think, feel, act and handle daily activities. To be diagnosed with depression, a person must experience symptoms every day for at least two weeks.
It's common to experience anxiety at some point in our lives, such as driving in bad weather. But if feelings of intense fear and distress become overwhelming, preventing us from doing everyday activities, an anxiety disorder may be the cause. Learn about the most common types of anxiety disorders and their treatments.
How Bipolar Disorder Differs from Depression and Anxiety
Bipolar disorder can be difficult to diagnose and difficult to treat because its intense mood swings can be confused with other mental health conditions, especially depression and anxiety. Finding a clinician who can properly diagnose a bipolar disorder will help you find the correct treatment plan to deal with the extreme highs and lows of this mental illness.
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