>From my research I learned many things about Bipolar Disorder. It affects around 1% of the population and it fits into the category of affective disorders. People experience the disorder in many different ways. Some experience "full blown mania" while others react in a more subtle way. Usually there are periods of depression between the mania, but not always. The cause of the disorder has still not been determined, but 50% of people who suffer from it are known to have a family history of manic depression. There is not yet a cure for Bipolar Disorder although, it is treatable with medications and therapy.

Online Dictionary of Mental Health. (2000) The Mercurial Mind, [online]. Available:http://home.att.net/~mercurial-mind/ [2000, January 27]

The first web site I visited was The Mercurial Mind: Living with Bipolar Disorder. This site answered questions such as what does bipolar disorder feel like, how do mental health professiona

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ls determine whether or not you have bipolar disorder and how does bipolar disorder affect the lives of the people who have it. The information is laid out in a clear and accurate manner. I found the information to be useful and learned a lot from the site. The author of the site states at the bottom of the second page that he is not a health care professional. He was diagnosed with the disease when he was 39 years old, so although he may be a useful source I am not sure how credible he is. His site has been online since January 2000 and he has already had 35,929 hits, which I think is pretty good. There is a place on the site to sign the guest book and also send in an e-mail if you have any more questions. This site has won numerous awards from internet critics.

I learned a lot from researching Bipolar Disorder on the internet. Bipolar Disorder is a biological disease of the brain. It is caused by a chemical imbalance and people who have relatives who are depressed or manic tend to be at higher risk for developing the disorder. In approximately 60% of cases, the individual will suffer from depression. It is an illness of moods, in which a person has mood swings that go from severe depression to mania. Since individuals usually do not recognize that they have a problem, they frequently resist their medications. Therapy is a helpful way to deal with Bipolar Disorder. Since there is no effective way to prevent the disorder, therapy and medication are very important.

The second site I found had a religious theme to it and it was also linked to a lot of other religious sites. The site explained what Bipolar Disorder is and is dedicated to the exploration of the disorder. There is a place on the site that asks B

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