What is bipolar disorder/manic depression?

Manic depressive illness (or bipolar disorder) is a neurological brain disorder that affects 2.3 million Americans today, or approximately one percent of the population. While manic-depressive illness usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood, it can sometimes start in early childhood or as late as age 40 or 50. Individuals diagnosed with manic-depressive illness, or bipolar disorder, have mood swings that alternate from periods of severe highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression). These mood swings, which are often out of proportion or totally unrelated to events in a person's life, affect thoughts, feelings, physical health, behavior, and functioning.  more