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Wikipedia: Bipolar Disorder
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Commonly called "manic depression," bipolar disorder manifests itself in cycles of mental ups and downs in a person; the cycles may be long or short, and the ups and downs may be of different magnitudes: for instance, a person suffering from bipolar disorder may suffer a protracted mild depression? followed by a shorter and intense mania?. The manic periods typically include euphoria, tirelessness, and impulsiveness; the depressed periods may seem much worse following a manic period. Medications exist to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder, but people on them frequently take them only until they begin surfacing from the depression; then they often suffer a manic episode and may suddenly find themselves accomplishing a tremendous amount of work which had been stacking up before the mania, or may go on a spending spree or take a poorly planned trip landing them in an unfamiliar location without cash. The manic periods, euphoric as they may be, are to be avoided for the impulsiveness and irrationality that comes with them, as well as that they are usually followed by another depression, which of course will not respond instantaneously to resumed medication.