What best describes the pattern of behavior in someone with bipolar disorder?

The choice that best describes the pattern of behavior in someone with bipolar disorder is the one highlighting time-limited episodes of depression, mania, and normal mood. Bipolar disorder is characterized by significant mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). These episodes can vary in length and intensity, and between these episodes, individuals often experience periods of stable mood, referred to as euthymia.

This cyclical nature of mood changes sets bipolar disorder apart from other mood disorders that may present more consistently, such as major depressive disorder, where individuals typically experience more chronic depressive states without the interspersed periods of elevated mood. Recognizing this distinct pattern of alternating between episodes of mania and depression, along with stable periods, is crucial for understanding bipolar disorder and for informing treatment approaches.