A person with bipolar disorder has extreme changes or swings in moods, from mania to depression. Because of the two “poles” of mood, this illness is called “bipolar” disorder.
Bipolar disorder is sometimes called manic-depression because people experience both mania and depression. The word “manic” means a person feels overly excited and confident. The person may then quickly change to feeling confused, irritable, angry, and even full of rage.
