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Definition Bipolar, or manic-depressive disorder, is a mood disorder that causes radical emotional changes and mood swings, from manic highs to depressive lows. The majority of bipolar individuals experience alternating episodes of mania and depression. Description In the United States alone, bipolar disorder afflicts almost two million people at an annual cost of over $45 billion, according to a 1991 report by the National Institutes of Mental Health. The average age of onset of bipolar disorder is …

…seven years and work productivity increases by ten years. Prevention The ongoing medical management of bipolar disorder is critical to preventing relapse, or recurrence, of manic episodes. Even in carefully controlled treatment programs, bipolar patients may experience recurring episodes of the disorder. Patient education in the form of psychotherapy or self-help groups is crucial for training bipolar patients to recognize signs of mania and depression and to take an active part in their treatment program.