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About 8 million adults in the United States have bipolar disorder, a condition that causes changes in mood that are disruptive to everyday life. Nearly 83 percent of people with bipolar have a severe case, which means they report experiencing serious impairments to their work, social life, or family life. Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally. While it can occur at any age (even during childhood), the average age of onset is 25.
There is no single known cause of bipolar disorder, but experts agree that certain factors, like genetics, stress, and brain structure, may increase a person’s risk. Even though there are many treatments for bipolar disorder, certain life events and habits can make bipolar episodes worse or can cause a relapse, which is a recurrence of episodes.
Sources: Nierenberg AA, Agustini B, Köhler-Forsbe... + 20
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