bipolar disorder

American  

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an affective disorder characterized by periods of mania alternating with periods of depression, usually interspersed with relatively long intervals of normal mood.

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bipolar disorder British  

noun

1. a mental health problem characterized by an alternation between extreme euphoria and deep depression

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bipolar disorder Scientific  

1. Any of several mood disorders usually characterized by periods of depression that alternate with mania.

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bipolar disorder Cultural  

1. Also known as manic-depressive illness. This psychiatric disorder is marked by periods of euphoric (manic) highs often followed by periods of depression.

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Example Sentences

Brosseau has tried nearly every treatment available to people like herself with bipolar disorder and PTSD, she said, from behavioural therapy and medication to electric shocks to the brain.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Turner, labeled “Captain Outrageous” for his erratic behavior, had once been thought to have bipolar disorder.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

He issued an apology for the scandals in January, taking out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal that attributed his behavior to his bipolar disorder.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

But British government minister Wes Streeting told UK broadcasters he regarded West using bipolar disorder "to justify his actions" as "appalling".

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Later on, lithium would revolutionize the treatment of bipolar disorder, but the drug would not be licensed in the United States until 1970.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield