Bipolar disorder is a very common disorder, as there are more than 3 million reported cases every year. This type of disorder does not affect any single group; therefore, it is not predominant in amongst any race, sex, or age. Bipolar disorder is categorized as a mood disorder, which is usually, "characterized by a loss of the sense of control and a subjective experience of great distress" (Sadock 527). Some research suggests that highly creative people such as artists, composers, writers, and poets, show unusually high rates of bipolar disorder and that period of mania fuel their creativity. .
Famous artists and writers who might have suffered from bipolar disorder include poets Lord Byron and Anne Sexton, and novelists Virginia Woolf and Ernest Hemingway. There are many symptoms that may signify if a person is bipolar, but many are over-looked because they are seen as normally occurring human behavior. The two main types of bipolar disorder are Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Due to today's most recent technological advancements, there are many different ways treat bipolar disorder, mainly including prescription medications. With these advancements, those suffering from the disorder have the ability to live normal lives.
A strong case study example of bipolar disorder, in which the nature of the illness is truly exhibited, and treatment is thoroughly explored is that of a twenty-nine-year-old married, mother, who presented with a history of recurrent and disabling depression and headaches. Several weeks before presentation, she became severely depressed randomly after a long period of stability, and had difficulty moving, diminished appetite, crying spells for much of her days and felt suicidal. At the time she presented, she was on Prozac 20 mg a day and described herself as getting "manicky" on the Prozac. By this, she meant that she was rushing around, laughing a lot and having more anxiety.