Bipolar disorder is a treatable mental illness affecting more than 2 million Americans each year, according to HealthyPlace.com, a medically reviewed mental health information site. It is characterized by extreme mood swings that, when left undiagnosed or untreated, can disrupt the normal routines of life. Several types of bipolar disorders exist, each of which is categorized by the length and frequency of the mood episodes it causes.
Bipolar I
Bipolar I is the most severe form of bipolar disorder characterized by extreme manic episodes. A diagnosis is usually reached when a person exhibits one or more manic or mixed episodes, occurring every day for at least 1 week. During a mixed episode, he will display the symptoms of both mania and depression, his moods going from extreme highs to extreme lows.
The severity and duration of the manic phase is what differentiates bioplar I from bipolar II; while manic episodes only need to last for one week for diagnosis to take place, they can, in fact, last several months, resulting in delusions and risky behavior. In most cases, patients need hospitalization to ensure their safety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Once the manic phase is complete, it is usually followed by a major depressive episode.
Bipolar II
Bipolar II is often characterized by more depressive episodes than manic episodes. For diagnosis to be given, one or more major depressive episode needs to be experienced, accompanied by at least one episode of hypomania, a less severe form of mania.
While hypomania episodes still interfere with a patient's ability to function properly, they are void of the delusions that normally accompany manic episodes. Hypomania episodes are also considered a bit more dangerous because they feel good to bipolar patients. Many times, patients will discontinue their medication to achieve a hypomanic moment. This makes it harder to control the disorder once medication is begun again, thus increasing the risk of suicide among bipolar II patients.
Cyclothymic Disorder
Cyclothymic disorder involves the cycling of moods between hypomania and depression over a period of 2 years, according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. While the fluctuations in moods can still impair a patient's ability to function normally when the episodes occur, they are typically less severe and do not last as long as the episodes that occur in bipolar I or II.
Mixed Episodes
Mixed episodes are dangerous for patients who experience them, as they present a high risk of suicide for them. Rather than cycle from a manic episode to a depressive episode, the patient experiences a little bit of both at the same time. He may feel the excitability and agitation caused by mania in combination with the irritability and depression accompanied by a major depressive episode.
