Truth: Most people with bipolar disorder feel depressed much more often than they feel energetic ("manic"), according to experts at Harvard Medical School. In fact, many people with bipolar disorder may go years without a manic episode, or go into long periods of remission, making diagnosis tricky. People who have experienced only mania and haven’t yet had a depressive episode may also be diagnosed with bipolar disorder. To complicate matters further, the depressive and manic aspects can overlap; people may feel restless and energetic while simultaneously feeling sad.

—Laura Flynn McCarthy
Reviewed by Steven A. King, M.D

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