Synonyms
Bipolar illness; Manic-depressive illness
Definition
The unique phase of bipolar disorder is mania. In many ways mania is the opposite of depression and is characterized by elevated mood or euphoria, overactivity with a lack of need for sleep, and increased optimism that usually becomes so severe that judgment is impaired. Other drives such as sexual desire are also enhanced: manic patients are disinhibited in their speech about sexual matters, making jokes or talking about subjects not normally allowed in their culture. Manic patients are sometimes disinhibited in their sexual actions as well and may endanger their marriages or relationships as a result. A key point is that manic behavior is distinct from a patient’s usual personality, but may have a gradual onset over weeks or months before the syndrome is full blown. In the absence of effective treatment, manic episodes could last months and years, although ultimately most are self-limited. Even after a long manic episode...
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Belmaker, R.H. (2015). Bipolar Disorder. In: Stolerman, I.P., Price, L.H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36172-2_364
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36172-2_364
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