What you’ll learn to do: examine bipolar and related disorders
![A figure is wearing a mask with a sad expression while holding a smiling mask.](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/courses-images/wp-content/uploads/sites/5351/2020/07/14014223/mask-3838903_1920-300x200.jpg)
Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood states that vacillate between sadness and euphoria; a diagnosis of bipolar disorder requires experiencing at least one manic episode, which is defined as a period of extreme euphoria, irritability, and increased activity. Mood disorders appear to have a genetic component, with genetic factors playing a more prominent role in bipolar disorder than in depression.