Is bipolar disorder a psychotic disorder, a mood disorder, or can it be both?

my_baby_love

It is a mental illness that effects both one's psychatric health and mood. Dec 19 05, 11:55 AM

Flynn_17

It's both offensive and very risqué to describe anything as a psychotic disorder, especially anything depression related. Strictly speaking, it is an emotional imbalance which results in psychiatric health and mood, as well as physical health in the case of things such as dysthyma. Dec 19 05, 1:34 PM

satguru

Depression (as far as I know) is never associated with delusions of reality, but the manic side of bipolar frequently is. By the way, psychosis is a medical term to divide it from neurosis, which is not delusional and retains a complete awareness of the fact there is an illness present. In psychosis sufferers tend to believe there's nothing wrong with them. No personal insults involved, these are simply technical terms with very specific meanings. Dec 19 05, 8:25 PM

kevinom

satguru is right psychotic's tend to believe unreal things while people with neuroses know that things they feel convinced about are not real. bipolar disorder is a mood disorder caused by chemical imbalances in the brain that are seasonal and relate very often to depression in winter months with mainia in summer months. we all are affected by this to a degree but bipolars are extremely affected. Jan 06 06, 7:32 AM