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Mental Health HomepageConditions LibraryConditions CategoryConditions CategoryWhat is Manic Depression?
Table of Contents:OverviewDefining ‘Manic Depression’4 Types of ‘Manic Depression’Why Bipolar/Manic Depression is Often MisdiagnosedBipolar: Debunking the Manic Depression MythsLiving with Bipolar DisorderFighting the Stigma Associated with Bipolar Disorder
DepressionRead Time: 7 Minutes
Published On: May 2, 2020
Reviewed On: May 2, 2020
Updated On: November 2, 2023
Overview
Everyone experiences changes in mood from time to time. It’s normal to have days where you feel sad, and others where you’re elated. As long as your mood changes do not interfere with your ability to carry out daily activities, these fluctuations are mostly considered to be healthy.
Defining ‘Manic Depression’
Manic depression, or bipolar disorder, is a disorder that causes one to experience severe inconsistencies in mood, thoughts, and behavior. It has also been called “manic-depressive illness.”
The symptoms of manic depression vary in severity. A person who experiences manic phases may show different signs from a person who more often experiences depressive states. Sometimes, sufferers may not experience any symptoms for extended periods of time.
Signs of a depressive phase may include:
People with manic depression may also go through a state ofhypomania— a milder form of mania that involves less severe symptoms. Before a person can be diagnosed with manic depression (bipolar disorder), they must have experienced one episode of mania or hypomania.
4 Types of ‘Manic Depression’Generally, manic depression occurs infour different categories: bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, cyclothymic disorder or cyclothymia, and “unspecified” or “other specified” bipolar disorder.1. Bipolar I disorderPeople who havebipolar Idisorder have likely experienced one or more manic episodes. To be diagnosed with this condition, the phases of mania must last at least seven days, or be so extreme that the person has to be hospitalized.2. Bipolar II disorderBipolar II disorder is a subset of manic depression in which a person never really goes through a full manic state, but experiences hypomanic episodes and shifts back and forth between depressive phases.3.Cyclothymic disorder or cyclothymiaPeople with cyclothymic disorder usually experience a constantly unstable mood, coupled with hypomania and mild depression for a period of at least two years.4. “Unspecified” or “other specified” bipolar disorderWhen a person does not meet the criteria for bipolar I, II or cyclothymia but has still experienced periods of clinically significant abnormal mood patterns, the condition is known as bipolar disorder, “unspecified” or “other specified.”
4 Types of ‘Manic Depression’
Generally, manic depression occurs infour different categories: bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, cyclothymic disorder or cyclothymia, and “unspecified” or “other specified” bipolar disorder.
1. Bipolar I disorder
People who havebipolar Idisorder have likely experienced one or more manic episodes. To be diagnosed with this condition, the phases of mania must last at least seven days, or be so extreme that the person has to be hospitalized.
2. Bipolar II disorder
Bipolar II disorder is a subset of manic depression in which a person never really goes through a full manic state, but experiences hypomanic episodes and shifts back and forth between depressive phases.
3.Cyclothymic disorder or cyclothymia
People with cyclothymic disorder usually experience a constantly unstable mood, coupled with hypomania and mild depression for a period of at least two years.
4. “Unspecified” or “other specified” bipolar disorder
When a person does not meet the criteria for bipolar I, II or cyclothymia but has still experienced periods of clinically significant abnormal mood patterns, the condition is known as bipolar disorder, “unspecified” or “other specified.”
Why Bipolar/Manic Depression is Often Misdiagnosed
Theconsequences of misdiagnosisof manic depression are numerous, and devastating. Misdiagnosis leads people to seek treatment for the condition they don’t have, while the symptoms of manic depression are left untreated. These symptoms, if untreated, can increase the severity of the condition over time.
Bipolar: Debunking the Manic Depression Myths
There have been great advances in the awareness, diagnosis, and treatment options for manic depression in recent years. However, public understanding of the condition is still low. One common misconception about manic depression is that having a mood swing is the same thing as suffering from bipolar. Despite the trivialization of the term “bipolar,” it is important to note that inconsistencies in a person’s mood may be a healthy and normal occurrence, rather than a sign of manic depression.
Another common misconception is that mania is somehow an exhilarating and exciting feeling. While a manic phase can give a person a feeling of exuberance, it also comes with negative outcomes like impulsive behavior, extreme irritability, and even hallucinations. Also, contrary to popular belief,substance abuseis not a contributor of bipolar, though it can certainly exacerbate its symptoms. The cause of manic depression remains mostly unknown,but it has been describedas resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, as well as discrepancies in brain structure and function.
Living with Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, can adversely affect a person’s ability to perform daily tasks. For people like Elizabeth Horner, a psychiatric nurse who works with patients dealing with conditions likeschizophrenia, manic depression, and clinical depression, living with manic depression herself has come with its setbacks and hardship. She described the disorder as one that has caused her periods of isolation and grief.
“I denied my bipolar disorder [manic depression] for well over a decade andonly recently came to accept its existence. I was finally able to look back at all my struggles with a clarity and wisdom that had been lacking in me for a long time,”she stated in an article for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Getting therapy and opting for a suitable treatment plan can help you managebipolar symptomsand live a happy and productive life.
Fighting the Stigma Associated with Bipolar Disorder
If you may be struggling with manic depression, or another seriousmental health condition, it’s best to reach out to a licensed mental health professional. Connect with a therapist today, withonline therapy.
If you are in a life threatening situation call +1 (800) 273-8255 or usethese resourcesto get immediate help.
Marris AdikwuMarris is a freelance writer who is passionate about health and wellness, particularly in the areas of mental health and women’s health. She hopes that her articles will play a role in ensuring that these areas are discussed more widely. In her free time, she also writes short stories and reads anything she can get her hands on.
Marris is a freelance writer who is passionate about health and wellness, particularly in the areas of mental health and women’s health. She hopes that her articles will play a role in ensuring that these areas are discussed more widely. In her free time, she also writes short stories and reads anything she can get her hands on.
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