Types of Bipolar

Bipolar disorder comes in a variety of forms, all of which to some extent includes episodes of mania and sadness. Bipolar disorder is a chronic condition. If you don’t receive treatment, subsequently maniacal and depressive episodes may reappear. Many people occasionally still experience symptoms after receiving bipolar illness treatment. These are the various forms of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar I: 

Bipolar I is characterized by severe fluctuation in mood that varies from high (manic phase) to depressive (low phase). It is a condition where individuals have gone through one or more manic episodes. The majority of people with bipolar I will have both manic and depressive episodes, though the depressive phase is not required for a diagnosis. Manic episodes must endure at least seven days or be so intense that hospitalization is obligatory for a person to be diagnosed with bipolar I.

Bipolar II: 

A milder form of mood elevation known as bipolar II disorder involves lesser hypomanic episodes that alternate with periods of severe depression. It is a subtype of bipolar illness in which individuals never experience a “full” manic episode but instead alternate between hypomanic and depressed periods.

Cyclothymic Disorder: 

It is characterized by brief bursts of hypomanic symptoms followed by brief bursts of depressive symptoms, although not to the same extent or for as long as in full hypomanic or full depressive episodes. It is the mildest form of bipolar. The time frame of this disorder is one to two years in children and teenagers. This disorder has many periods of hypomania and depressive phases but the depression phase is less severe. 

Rapid-cycling:

  A term that is used to define experiencing four or more episodes of depression in a 12-month period. A certain necessary number of days must pass between episodes for them to be classified as independent episodes. Some persons also have polarity shifts from high to low or likewise during the course of a single week, or even a single day, which means that they may not have all of the symptoms that characterize discrete, independent episodes.  There is disagreement in psychiatry as to whether the phenomena, sometimes referred to as “ultra-rapid” cycling, is a legitimate or well-established aspect of bipolar disorder.

Although some studies assume it could be more frequent later in the lifetime of the illness, a pattern of rapid cycling can take place at any time over the course of the illness. Rapid cycling appears to be more prevalent in women than in men. The likelihood of severe depression and suicide attempts rises with rapid cycling. Periods of fast cycling may occasionally be induced or prolonged by antidepressants. That theory, however, is debatable and is still being researched.

Mixed Features: 

When symptoms from opposing mood polarity appear simultaneously during manic, hypomanic, or depressed episodes, this is referred to as having “mixed characteristics.” It is characterized by excessive activity, insomnia, and frenzied thought. The person could possibly have suicidal thoughts or behavior and be downhearted, hopeless, angry, and bad tempered at the same time.

Seasonal pattern bipolar

One may diagnose with bipolar 1 or 2 “with seasonal pattern.” This implies that your mood swings are frequently influenced by the season or time of year. Bipolar disorder and the weather are related. A bipolar person may experience a high episode due to changing weather. The most manic actions typically occur in the winter and last at least 15 days.

Other specified or unspecified: 

People who suffer from these conditions display symptoms that do not fit into the categories mentioned above. The person has had times of clinically substantial aberrant mood elevation but does not fulfill the criteria for bipolar I, II, or cyclothymia. Sometimes abusing drugs or alcohol or having a medical condition may cause the symptoms.

The most prominent bipolar types are 1 and 2. They also have a lot in common, particularly given that both can result in spells of hypomania and depression.

In Bipolar I person has extreme unpredictive behavior with a manic phase that stays up at least a week and sometimes patient needs the hospitalization

In Bipolar II person might have uncertain highs and lows but it is not that severe and of course, doesn’t require hospitalization too.