Types of Bipolar Disorder Bipolar I disorder is the most serious form of the disease. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by predominantly depressive episodes accompanied by occasional hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic episodes are milder than manic episodes, but they can still impair functioning. All types of bipolar disorders involve changes in energy, activity levels, and mood.
These moods can be very manic, energized, euphoric or irritable, or depressive, sad, indifferent, or hopeless. People with bipolar disorder can also have hypomanic episodes, which are similar to manic episodes but not as severe. Bipolar 2 disorder is characterized by manic and depressive episodes. The mania you experience with this type is usually less severe than the mania you would experience in bipolar 1 hence the name hypomania.
When you have bipolar 2, you experience a major depressive episode before or after you've had a manic outbreak. People who experience mixed episodes often describe it as the worst part of bipolar disorder. This type of bipolar disorder may be due to factors in your life that may include drugs, alcohol, or underlying medical conditions. This type of bipolar disorder is characterized by manic episodes, with or without symptoms of depression.
Since the hypomania that occurs in bipolar II disorder is less severe than the mania that occurs in bipolar I disorder, bipolar II is often described as milder than bipolar I, but this is not completely accurate. The diagnosis is based on a set of criteria that a person must meet to be considered bipolar. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by a shift between less severe hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes. Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic-depressive disorder, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).
When there are no manic episodes suggesting bipolar disorder, depressive symptoms become the focus. To determine what type of bipolar disorder you may have, the mental health provider evaluates the pattern of symptoms and how much they affect your life during the most severe episodes. Bipolar disorder results in a reduction of approximately nine years in life expectancy, and up to 1 in 5 people with bipolar disorder commit suicide. In bipolar I disorder, a major depressive episode (one or more) usually occurs, but it is not mandatory.
Bipolar disorders are a group of mental disorders that cause drastic changes in a person's mood, activity level, and functional capacity. Mental health providers use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to diagnose the type of bipolar disorder a person may be experiencing. There are no markers of bipolar disorder in the blood, but a complete blood test and physical exam can help rule out other possible causes of your behavior. Psychotherapy, also called “psychotherapy,” can be an effective part of the treatment plan for people with bipolar disorder.
Health care providers often prescribe atypical or second-generation neuroleptics (antipsychotics) in combination with a mood stabilizer for people with bipolar disorder.
