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Bipolar Disorder Animation related information | Bipolar Disorder Animation QUIZ: Test your knowledge of bipolar causes and treatments DRUGS: Common drugs used to treat bipolar disorder BASICS: Learn the basics of bipolar disorder Last Updated: 4/6/2005 Related Encyclopedia • Anxiety • Bipolar Disorder • Depression (Major Depressive Disorder) • Dysthymia More... Related Healthscout Videos Pinpointing Mental Illness Meet Sue Bergeson Getting a Second Opinion Managing Bipolar Disorder More... Related Animations • Depression More... Related Drug Information • Ambien • Avandia • Effexor XR • Paxil More... Related News Articles • Health Tip: Depression Among Seniors • Health Tip: Dealing With Depression After Pregnancy • Health Tip: Understanding Seasonal Sadness More... Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric disease characterized by episodes of extreme mood swings, depression and mania. Depression is characterized by feelings of: Hopelessness Low energy Reduced interest in everyday activities Suicidal tendencies. Mania is characterized by: Excess activity to the point of exhaustion Euphoria Aggressiveness. Two distinct areas of the brain control mood regulation. A dysfunction of nerves in these regions is associated with bipolar disorder. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that enable nerves to pass signals to each other and are also found to be involved in bipolar disease. There is also a strong evidence that bipolar disorder is inherited within families. Treatments for Bipolar disorder include Mood stabilizing agents like lithium, carbamazapine, valproate and others Anti-depressants Other medications Non-medication therapies like psychotherapy and counseling