Mania May Be a Mental Illness in Its Own Right

Bipolar disorder is a widely recognized condition. So is depression, its darker side. Yet unlike depression, mania – the “upside” of bipolar disorder – is still not officially classified as an illness in its own right, despite hundreds of thousands of people experiencing episodes of mania without ever falling into depression. This poses problems when attempting to effectively treat unipolar mania, as it is called. Science writer Simon Makin investigates what is known about unipolar mania, why there is a reluctance about categorizing it as a “stand-alone” illness and the problems its unclassified status causes for treatment and research. The article will challenge physicians, pharmacists and anyone concerned with the diagnosis and impact of mental illness.