Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Suffering from or relating to a mental disorder characterized by alternating episodes of mania (an abnormally elevated mood, energy, and activity) and depression (a state of low mood and loss of interest).

2. Noun:

   • A person who is afflicted with manic-depressive illness.

Usage

• The term is used to describe both the condition itself and an individual diagnosed with it. It is a clinical term, though in modern medical contexts, the diagnosis "bipolar disorder" is more commonly used.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The doctor diagnosed her with a manic-depressive illness.
  • He was hospitalized during a manic-depressive episode.
• Noun:
  • She is a manic-depressive who manages her condition with medication and therapy.
  • Support groups can be very helpful for manic-depressives.

Advanced Usage

• The term "manic-depressive" can be considered somewhat dated in formal psychiatric diagnosis, where "bipolar disorder" (Type I, Type II, etc.) is the preferred terminology. However, "manic-depressive" is still widely understood and used in general language and historical contexts.

Variants and Related Words

• Manic-depressive illness (n): The full name for the disorder.
• Manic-depressive psychosis (n): An older term emphasizing the severe, psychotic features that can occur in some episodes.
• Bipolar disorder (n): The contemporary medical term that has largely replaced "manic-depressive illness" in clinical use.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Bipolar.
• Noun: A person with bipolar disorder.

Related Phrases

• Manic episode: A distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood.
• Depressive episode: A distinct period of persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities.

Adjective

1. suffering from a disorder characterized by alternating mania and depression

Noun

1. a person afflicted with manic-depressive illness