Living with Bipolar Disorder: Types of Bipolar Disease
Manic bipolar disorder is classified into the following kinds: bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder and cyclothymic disorder. If someone develops one type, they can also develop another. There is an opinion stating that these three types can be considered separate illnesses because they are quite different and should therefore be treated in completely different ways.
Bipolar I Disorder. This type of bipolar disease is characterized by one or more maniac episodes that can be accompanied by depression or not. In most cases the pattern of manic episodes being followed by depression is present. The episodes are quite severe, which makes them different from the other types of bipolar disorder. Living with bipolar condition of this type is quite challenging.
If bipolar I disorder is left untreated, the patient is likely to experience about 4 episodes of abnormal mood condition a year. There are a number of consequences this may have for the patient and his or her life, such as uncontrollable shopping sprees, sudden traveling, sexual drive and recklessness. In the most severe cases, when the disease is not given any attention, it can last for as long as several months, while depression is likely to last up to a year.
Bipolar II Disorder and Hypomania. Bipolar II disorder usually displays mainly depressive episodes with short occasional periods of hypomania. Hypomania is an abnormal condition of extreme excitement, milder than mania but characterized by great optimism and overactivity.
Most patients are unlikely to go through mixed episodes, so between them they are fully functional and feel good. Nevertheless, bipolar II disorder is also serious and dangerous, as it’s chronic and has shorter periods of feeling well. This condition is the one causing people to think about attempting a suicide more often than other kinds of the disease.
Cyclothymic Disorder. This condition is chronic rather than severe. It is characterized by periodical swings of mood between excitement and depression, activity and inactivity. The hypomanic symptoms of these people show more irritability than those of the patients suffering from bipolar II disorder type.
Cyclothymic disorder is likely to last two years at least, while one episode may continue for a couple of months. This condition may also be the first sign of developing bipolar disease; another way it can go is to become a chronic condition of mild nature.
Unipolar and bipolar depression patients may have trouble telling their conditions from the ones similar to them. Here are some ways in which they can be different:
§ Bipolar depression usually continues for 2 - 3 months, which is less than a major depression. However, if it is not given enough attention, episodes may last a year or even longer.
§ People suffering from unipolar depression do not have manic moods: their mood swings tend to be less serious and do not affect the personality that much.
§ Episodes of bipolar depression are likely to develop gradually, unlike the ones that have to do with a major depression.
Back to Bipolar Disorder
