Remission
A period when symptoms have eased and you're back near your baseline.
Remission is a period when the symptoms of an episode have largely or completely gone. Partial remission means some are still there; full remission means they have cleared, at least for now.
It is what treatment aims at, and it is deliberately a different word from cure. Bipolar disorder is long-term and recurrent, so remission describes a state you are in rather than a line you cross. That is precisely why medication is usually continued through it instead of stopped because things feel fine. If you want to change or stop something, that is a conversation to have with your prescriber rather than a decision to make alone — stopping abruptly is one of the commonest ways the next episode starts.
Feeling well is not evidence that treatment has become unnecessary. More often it is evidence that it is working. That is a hard thing to accept, and it is one of the most common reasons people relapse.
See also
If you’re in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, you’re not alone and help is available right now. In the US & Canada call or text 988. In the UK & Ireland call 116 123 (Samaritans). Elsewhere, contact your local emergency services — Get Help Now lists lines by country.
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