 Hey there Psych2Goers and welcome back to another Psych2Go video! Before we start, we'd like to make a disclaimer not to use this video to self-diagnose or diagnose others. This video is for educational purposes only. If you suspect yourself or someone to be suffering from bipolar disorder, please seek professional help. With that being said, let's begin. In recent years, mental health has become something of a trend. While the older generations have never heard of social anxiety or PTSD, teenagers throw these terms around with little thought. As a result, there's still some type of stigma attached to the field of mental health. We've come a long way in medicine and are now more aware of our own mental well-being. However, most disorders are often overlooked and even downplayed. Bipolar disorders happen to be one of those disorders. You may have heard of bipolar disorder and have a vague idea of its symptoms due to the rather lackluster representation of it in various TV shows. Due to the poor representation in the media and elsewhere, bipolar disorder is somewhat misunderstood by the general public. As a result, not much is known about it. So what exactly is bipolar disorder? Also called manic depression, bipolar disorder is a condition that causes extreme lows and highs in terms of mood. These mood swings are referred to as depression and mania respectively. Periods of mania include feelings of excessive euphoria, restlessness and irritability, racing speech and thoughts, high amounts of energy, lack of concentration, increased sexual drive, aggressive or risky behavior, excessive spending, drug and or alcohol abuse. With bipolar disorder, periods of depression often last for an average of six months, although they may last longer. Periods of mania, however, tend to last for relatively shorter amounts of time, from two weeks to as long as five months. People with bipolar disorder may also experience delusions, such as hearing voices in their heads. The cause of bipolar disorder varies greatly from genetic to environmental. For almost half of patients dealing with bipolar disorder, the disease runs in the family. However, no single gene has been found responsible for being the cause. Chemical imbalance is also suggested as a cause, but many believe that stressful situations are the main trigger of bipolar disorder. The situations may include physical, sexual or emotional abuse, the death of a loved one, or the breakdown of a relationship. Medications such as antidepressants can also trigger mania. One in five patients suffering from bipolar disorder commits suicide, which is why it's so important to raise awareness, especially for the teenage population. Many may be living with bipolar disorder and not even know it. As a result, people resort to self-harm or drug abuse as an outlet for their pain. It's been suggested that some adolescents with manic depression may actually be experiencing the early onset of bipolar disorder, and 20% of individuals with major depression have gone on to develop bipolar disorder. Are you diagnosed with bipolar, or do you know anyone who's suffering from the disorder? We here at Psych2Go would like to know your thoughts and experiences. Feel free to leave a comment below. If you or someone you know is dealing with bipolar disorder, or they're showing symptoms, please seek professional help. Remember it's never too late to seek help. Did you find this video helpful? If so, don't forget to share the video with someone who would benefit from it. Like and subscribe to Psych2Go for more mental health videos. Thanks for watching. We'll see you soon.