What mood disorder is characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania?

The mood disorder characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania is bipolar disorder. This condition involves significant mood swings that include emotional highs, known as manic or hypomanic episodes, and lows, typically presenting as episodes of depression.

In a manic episode, an individual may experience increased energy, reduced need for sleep, heightened irritability, and impulsive or risk-taking behavior. Conversely, during depressive episodes, the individual may feel hopeless, exhibit a loss of interest in activities, and experience changes in sleep or appetite.

Understanding this cyclical nature is crucial for diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder, as it differs fundamentally from unipolar disorders, like depressive disorder, which involve only depressive episodes. Generalized anxiety disorder is primarily characterized by excessive worry and anxiety over various aspects of life, while schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder involving distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, and sense of self, with no episodes of mania or alternating mood states.