My mother suffered from bi-polar. could i suffer from it too? what are the symptoms and are thetreatments different to those i've had for depression?

You could: Bipolar disorder does have genetic links. Besides depressive episodes, a person would also have either manic or hypomanic episodes. These times are characterized by increased energy/activity; decreased need for sleep; racing thoughts; impulsivity; excessive excitement/happiness which can shift quickly to irritability; high sex drive; reckless behaviors, etc. Treatment includes mood stabilizers.