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Article: Going to Extremes: Bipolar Disorder.(Pamphlet)
- Article from:
- Pamphlet by: National Institute of Mental Health
- Article date:
- January 15, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 National Institute of Mental Health. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Bipolar Disorder
There is a tendency to romanticize bipolar disorder. Many artists, musicians and writers have suffered from its mood swings. But in truth, many lives are ruined by this disease; and without effective treatment, the illness is associated with an increased risk of suicide.[1]
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a serious brain disease that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and functioning. It affects approximately 2.3 million adult Americans--about 1.2 percent of the population.[2] Men and women are equally likely to develop this disabling illness. The disorder typically emerges in adolescence or early ...