Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, one of the most distinct syndromes in psychiatry, has been described in numerous cultures throughout history. The unique hallmark of the illness is mania, which is characterized by elevated mood or euphoria, overactivity with a lack of need for sleep, and overoptimism that impairs judgment. Periods of depression are also a feature of the disorder. Bipolar disorder is one of the most distinct syndromes in psychiatry. The unique hallmark of the illness is mania. Bipolar disorder is one of the most distinct syndromes in psychiatry and has been described in numerous cultures over the course of history. 1 The unique hallmark of the illness is mania. Mania is, in many ways, the opposite of depression. It is characterized by elevated mood or euphoria, overactivity with a lack of need for sleep, and an increased optimism that usually becomes so extreme that the patient's judgment is impaired. For example, a person with mania may decide to purchase 500 television sets if he or she believes that their price will go up. Drives such as sexual desire . . .