BIPOLAR DISORDER: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

This literature review gathered medical books and articles published preferably in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese in the last five years in the PUBMED and SciELO databases with the main objective of reviewing bipolar disorder, indicating its clinical presentation, classification, diagnosis and treatment. Bipolar disorder (BD) is a mood disorder characterized by oscillations between mania/hypomania and depression. Mania involves elevated mood, energy and risk-taking behaviors, while hypomania is a milder form. Depression in BD includes depressed mood, loss of interest and fatigue. BD is classified into types I and II, depending on the presence of mania or hypomania, and includes cyclothymic disorder with milder oscillations. Diagnosis is clinical, differentiating BD from other conditions, and treatment is multimodal, with mood-stabilizing medications, psychotherapy (CBT and IPTRS) and psychosocial interventions.