Manic Depression (A common mental illness among children) Why is Manic depression called an illness? Everyone has ups and downs in mood-happiness, sadness, and anger are normal emotions and an essential part of everyday life. In contrast, bipolar disorder is a medical condition in which people have mood swings out of proportion, or totally unrelated, to things going on in their lives. These swings affect thoughts, feelings, physical health, behavior, and functioning. Bipolar disorder is …showed first 75 words of 172 total…

…showed last 75 words of 172 total…there are specific medications that help most people. When does manic depression begin? Bipolar disorder usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood, although it can sometimes start in early childhood or as late as the 40s or 50s. When someone over 50 has a manic episode for the first time, the cause is more likely to be a problem imitating bipolar disorder (e.g., neurological illness or the effects of drugs, alcohol, or some prescription medications).