Bipolar disorder, also known as
bipolar affective disorder or
manic depression, is a
mental disorder characterized by periods of elevated mood and
periods of depression. The elevated mood is significant and is known as
mania or
hypomania depending on the severity or whether there is
psychosis. During mania an individual feels or acts abnormally happy, energetic, or irritable. They often make poorly thought out decisions with little regard to the consequences. The need for sleep is usually reduced. During periods of depression there may be crying, poor eye contact with others, and a negative outlook on life. The risk of
suicide among those with the disorder is high at greater than 6% over 20 years, while
self harm occurs in 30–40%. Other mental health issues such as
anxiety disorder and
substance use disorder are commonly associated.