Mood swings.  Everyone knows what they are and what it's like to go through them.  Your day starts off fine, then you get a bad grade on a test and you're pissed.  Your mood goes from happy and nothing's wrong to rage and bitter anger in two seconds.  Then maybe your crush passes you in the hall and waves as you’re leaving for the day.  Your day couldn't get any better!

Sometimes, though, mood swings happen for no reason at all.  But drastic mood swings aren't considered normal.  If you experience really intense highs, where you have way too much energy, thoughts are flying through your head a million miles an hour, and you can't concentrate on anything, that could be a manic episode, which is a symptom of bipolar disorder.  If your lows consist of you not wanting to get out of bed, the idea of washing your hair seems too much, and a sense of hopelessness fills you, then that could be a depressive episode.  These two together are a clear indicator of bipolar disorder, also know as manic depressive disorder.

Lots of famous people in history have been bipolar, and there's even a theory that the manic episodes correspond to high levels of creativity.  If these stages are something you can relate to, don't be worried.  There are plenty of treatment methods, research studies, and literature on bipolar disorder.  You're not alone and you can overcome this with a little help from doctors.