What is the clinical term for Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar Disorder is classified as a mood disorder, which encompasses conditions that primarily affect a person's emotional state. Mood disorders are characterized by the presence of significant disturbances in mood that can lead to various emotional symptoms, such as severe highs (mania or hypomania) and severe lows (depression). These mood fluctuations can impair daily functioning and quality of life, differentiating them from other categories of mental disorders.

The mood disorder category includes not only bipolar disorder but also major depressive disorder and cyclothymic disorder, among others. Each type of mood disorder has a specific set of symptoms and diagnostic criteria, but they all share the common feature of prominent mood alterations.

In contrast, anxiety disorders primarily involve excessive fear or anxiety and are characterized by symptoms such as panic attacks or phobias. Psychotic disorders, which include conditions like schizophrenia, involve symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. Personality disorders involve enduring patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience that deviate markedly from the expectations of an individual's culture, affecting various aspects of functioning. Thus, the classification of bipolar disorder as a mood disorder aligns with its defining features and symptoms.