Mania is described as a period of elevated or expansive mood that appears in which disorders?

• A. Bipolar disorders
• B. Unipolar depression
• C. Anxiety disorders
• D. Schizophrenia

Answer: (A)

Mania is a period of abnormally elevated or expansive mood with increased energy and activity, and it is a defining feature of bipolar disorders. In bipolar I, mania is full-blown; in bipolar II, the related state is hypomania, a milder form that accompanies depressive episodes. Unipolar depression involves depressive episodes only, with no manic periods. Anxiety disorders revolve around excessive worry or fear rather than sustained elevated mood. Schizophrenia centers on psychosis, and while mood symptoms can occur, mania is not the defining feature of that disorder.