(BPT) – – In a given year, about one in four adults experience a mental health disorder. One such mental illness, bipolar disorder is estimated to affect 6 million American adults, or about 2.6% of the US population age 18 and older, in a given year. For individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder, there are support and resources, along with tools to help people have an open and honest conversation with their doctors about their condition.

Preparation is the key to having a productive conversation with your doctor about bipolar disorder. Recording your symptoms and writing down questions before your visit can help. Below, Dr C. Brendan Montano, director of neuroscience research, Connecticut Clinical Trials, active medical literature contributor and member of the editorial board for the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Primary Care Edition, answers common questions about bipolar disorder to help assist adults diagnosed, as well as friends and family members, in successfully managing this disease.