Bipolar Affective Disorder (B.A.D.) is loosely referred to as "manic depression" because it is characterized by extreme shifts between manic and depressive episodes. These episodes can change within hours, days or weeks depending on the severity of the disorder.

Diagnosis of B.A.D. is difficult as there is often a strong connection to panic disorder, conduct disorder, Bulimia and attention deficit disorder. Many patients are first treated for depression and after antidepressant treatment, exhibit the signs of a manic episode.

According to DSM IV AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER IN ADULTS by Michael Thase M.D., ". . . approximately two percent of the population suffers from bipolar I or II disorder. . . Suicide presents at least a fifteen percent risk in people suffering from this disorder." These numbers translate directly to mean that approximately seven and a half million North Americans suffer with B.A.D. and at least one million, one hundred and twenty five thousand of those people are likely to commit suicide.