Bipolar disorder, also commonly referred to as manic depressive illness, can be described as a disorder of the brain, which leads to unusual fluctuations in a person’s mood, levels of activity and energy as well as the ability to perform everyday tasks. Many people do not really realize how serious this problem is, as all people go through mood and energy swings on a daily basis; however, it is important to realize that the symptoms of bipolar disorder are a lot more severe. People who suffer from bipolar disorders are also known to have damaged relationships and poor academic or professional performance.


In some cases, people who have bipolar disorders have also been known to attempt suicide. Fortunately, it is possible for bipolar disorder to be treated, which means that even those who are suffering from this condition can lead a normal, healthy and productive life.

There are many challenges that can be faced by those who are living with bipolarity, especially in the case of women.


Studies indicate that women in general experience depression more often, as compared to men. Therefore, when a woman suffers from bipolar disorder, she is more likely to develop Bipolar type 2 disorder, which means that her mania may not be very severe, but she may have milder bouts of hypomania, which alternate with depression. Moreover, women also are more likely to develop a rapid cycling, which means that they could have four or more episodes of severe mood swings in one year. There are many other factors that could contribute towards the rapid cycle in women, such as the use of prescription antidepressants, varying levels of activity in the thyroid glands as well as the sex hormones. Moreover, even though bipolar disorder affects both men and women, the way in which it is treated may vary, based on a person’s gender.

In fact understanding bipolar disorder is all the more important for family, relatives, friends, colleagues and other acquaintances, as women usually go through experiences like menopause, menstrual cycles, peri-menopause and pregnancy. These are difficult times for a woman anyway and bipolar disorder could make it a lot worse. Moreover, the way the disorder affects a woman could be a lot different and much more severe, as compared to men. For instance, the mood-stabilizing medication usually prescribed for this problem could in turn lead to reproductive problems in many women, especially Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which is a female hormone-related problem. This condition could further cause a woman to suffer from infertility, heart diseases, diabetes and cancer of the uterus. Therefore, in case a woman does have this disorder, but is planning to get pregnant soon, then lithium and other bipolar medicines should be avoided. Moreover, before deciding to get pregnant, women who have bipolar disorder need to get an approval from their health care provider. Unfortunately, there is no sure way to predict if pregnancy will stabilize moods in a woman, or destabilize them further. Some health experts prescribe electroconvulsive therapy for pregnant women who cannot take antidepressants or any other medication to control the problem. However, before discontinuing any medication, it is absolutely essential to get a go ahead from a doctor.

Women with bipolar disorder have enough to worry about, with their anxiety levels, depression and so on. During menopause and peri-menopause, it is very natural for any woman to experience mood swings, due to hormonal fluctuations, including those who do not have bipolar disorder. However, in women who do have this disorder, the depression and anxiety is likely to be much worse. In such cases, health experts may advise the woman to go in for hormone therapy. The mood-stabilizing drugs and the antidepressants may also need to be changed. Many women are encouraged to go through either individual or group therapy, to help them treat with the transitions and the symptoms of both these trying conditions.

Understanding feminine side of bipolar disorder is not just important in women, as they could go through it, but also for men, who many have female family members that are suffering from this condition. Given below are a few facts about bipolar disorder, which can help people to understand how this condition affects women:

• The bouts of depression in women are usually more frequent, longer, more severe and perhaps even resistant to treatment in some cases. Unfortunately, very often this condition in women is misdiagnosed, which is why they do not receive the effective treatment on time.

• Mixed episodes of Bipolar II disorder and rapid cycling are much more common in women, as compared to men. Moreover, in order to treat this condition, a complex combination of medication may be prescribed, which could lead to health risks, such as weight gain.

• Due to the fact that women are more likely to experience depression, they are generally prescribed an antidepressant, without a mood stabilizer. This could cause them to go through manic, hypomanic or mixed bouts of mood swings.

• When a woman suffers from bipolar disorder, it is more common for her to develop other health complications, some of which include frequent migraine headaches and diabetes.

• The treatment that is generally adopted for bipolar disorder has a different effect on women, than it does on men. The treatment could have a huge impact on a woman during and after pregnancy. It has been seen that women who have bipolar disorder are also more likely to experience postpartum depression.

• Apart from depression caused by hormonal factors, women suffering from this condition have also been known to have poor self-image problems, especially when it comes to their bodies. Hence, such women are quite prone to eating disorders too.

Hence, it is easy to see that bipolar disorder is a very complex condition, especially when it affects women. Therefore, it is absolutely essential for all people to seek medical advice as soon as the symptoms of this condition become evident. All instances of bipolar disorder in women should be closely and carefully monitored by a medical health care provider.