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Get energizing workout moves, healthy recipes, and advice on losing weight and feeling great from Health.com. Find Experiencing emotional highs and lows are part of the typical human experience—for the most part, we're all on the same emotional rollercoaster throughout life. For many people, those moods are manageable; but for some people, mood fluctuations are far too extreme and can significantly disrupt their daily lives.

More serious "mood swings"—ones that can seriously threaten a person's well-being or impact their daily schedule—are a common characteristic of bipolar disorder, and when related to the disease, they're known technically as "mood episodes." Though there are a few different types of bipolar disorder (bipolar 1 disorder, bipolar 2 disorder, and cyclothymic disorder), they all involve "clear changes in mood, energy, and activity levels," according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

The biggest difference between a typical mood swing and a mood episode in bipolar disorder is the length and severity—bipolar mood episodes consist of very high highs and extremely low lows for long stretches of time—and medical treatment from a trained psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker experienced in bipolar disorder management is essential. Here, mental health experts explain what a bipolar mood episode looks like, including how long it can last, what can trigger it, and the best ways to manage it.

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