03/18/2025
Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental health condition that causes clear shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration.
People with bipolar disorder often experience periods of extremely elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic epidosdes) and very “down”, sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes).
Our thoughts on language:
Language of diagnosis is powerful. For some people the words/definitions are a relief, for some it can be a burden - another way in which they are “othered”.
Diagnosis language, like all language, changes over time. We recognize many words are not all encompassing. They can lack nuance and don’t always describe the specifics of what we feel. So we encourage you to take in what serves you, and leave what doesn’t.
