Is manic depression just bad mood swings?

No: No manic depression or bipolar disorder can be quite serious and have a devastating effect on the patient as well as loved ones. This disorder can lead to self harming behavior and other serious issues that can affect a person's health significantly. It is more than just bad mood swings although this could be a component of its presentation to one affected.

How swingy are moods: No, mood swings vary by age and circumstance. Pathological mood swings seen in bipolar disorder are severe, intense, and life altering. Being an adolescent with mood changes is not the same as being bipolar. Check with your doctor if you're worried you are bipolar. Questionnaire that helps is the mood disoder questionnaire. www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/mdq.

No: Manic depression is a serious mental disorder which leads to more than mood swings. Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder that can present with possible symptoms of mania, hypomania, depression, mixed state and normal state. * Mania or hypomania: 1 may show aggression, agitation, v judgment & impulse control, distractability, rapid thoughts & speech, ^ libido, V sleep, spending sprees, high risk

Yes: Put simply yes, manic depression refers to a person going from the depths of depression to the stratosphere of mania. Mood stabilizers and therapy are used to treat manic depression.