What is bipolar disorder? Do you sometimes feel energetic and
unstoppable—then later feel drained or like you have absolutely
no energy? Have you noticed that sometimes you feel as if you
could do anything, and at other times you feel depressed? Are
there days when you barely need to sleep to feel refreshed, and
other days when all you can do is sleep? If so, these might be
symptoms of a bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is more than
just the good days and bad days that everyone has. People with
bipolar disorder experience extreme shifts in mood, energy, and
activity levels. For instance, people with bipolar disorder have
extreme mood swings—from feeling almost supercharged with
tremendous energy to feeling so down that it may be hard for
them to find the energy to do much of anything. These extreme
mood swings can happen over a short period of time or over
several months. Bipolar disorder can make it very difficult to
function at work or in social settings. It can also lead to
strain on family and personal