What is bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic depressive illness or manic depression, is a mental health disorder often characterized by wide mood swings from high (manic) to low (depressed). Find out about bipolar disorder, including symptoms, how it's diagnosed and treatments. Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. These include emotional highs, also known as mania or hypomania, and lows, also known as depression. Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects a person’s mood, energy, activity and thought and is characterized by manic (or hypomanic) and depressive episodes. There are five types of bipolar disorder. Learn about the symptoms of the bipolar disorder types, how they are similar to other conditions, and how they are treated. Key signs of bipolar disorder include distinct periods of elevated mood (mania or hypomania) and periods of depression, which can impact energy, sleep, behavior, and overall well-being. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mental health condition with episodes of high energy (mania or hypomania) and low mood (depression). Symptoms may disrupt your sleep, activities and daily life. What Is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior. Information on bipolar disorder including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment options, and resources to find help for yourself or others. The condition is classified as bipolar I disorder if there has been at least one manic episode, with or without depressive episodes, and as bipolar II disorder if there has been at least one hypomanic episode (but no full manic episodes) and one major depressive episode. [5].