What is Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is one of the important categories of depressive illness which is also called as manic depressive illness. Bipolar disorder causes the emotional fluctuate of brain and psychological state and often responsible for mood swing and mental disorder. Bipolar disorder can vary according to the different aspect of life. It can be high or it can be low on the basis of ups and downs of life.

Emotional fluctuate of mood, less energy or extreme energy, lack of interest, changes in regular activity of life etc. are the negative outcomes of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is associated with the both symptoms and signs of depressive illness and manic depressive illness which cause the mild stage of depression and severe stage of mania at the same time. 

Bipolar disorder is basically categorized into three categories.

• Bipolar I disorder (Mania and depression)
• Bipolar II disorder (hypomania and depression)
• Cyclothymia (hypomania and mild depression)

Each type of bipolar disorder is categorized according to the episodes of symptoms and outcomes of mania and depression. The three types of bipolar disorder are generally distinguished by different symptoms and can produce different outcomes even sometimes require different treatment procedure.

Therefore it is essential to have proper and accurate knowledge about the basic characteristics and pattern of each type in order to get right treatment according to nature of the type of bipolar disorder.

Each types of bipolar disorder are described below in details:

Bipolar I disorder (mania and depression):

Bipolar I disorder is the most sever and major category of bipolar disorder and classic form of illness. Bipolar I disorder is characterized by at least one episode of mania or mixed episode. Most of the people who are experiencing bipolar I disorder are also experiencing the signs of major depressive disorder even the rate is higher.

People with mania develop several symptoms which are as follows:

• Rapid speech
• Insomnia
• Disconnected thoughts
• Lavish ideas
• Hallucinations
• Extreme irritability
• Feelings of supremacy
• Violent behavior
• Over strength

Bipolar II disorder (hypomania and depression):

Bipolar II disorder never leads the people to develop the full symptoms of mania. This disorder is recognized by the recurring episodes of severe depressive illness and hypomania. The mild and moderate symptoms of mania can also be found in the Bipolar II disorder. If anyone has developed at least one episode of mania then the doctor is unable to treat the sufferer with the treatment process of Bipolar II disorder. To diagnosis bipolar II disorder properly, the victim has to experience at least one episode of hypomania or major depression.

Cyclothymia hypomania and mild depression:

Among all types, Cyclothymia is the mildest stages of bipolar disorder. Mood disorder or elevated mood causes Cyclothymia. Though it is ranges from low to high but the outcomes and symptoms are less severe than manic and major depressive disorder. Cyclothymia bipolar disorder should be screened and treated properly in order to prevent it from being transformed into major disorder. In order to diagnosis and identify Cyclothymia, the depressed people have to experience many episodes of hypomania and at least two year experience of mild depressive disorder.

Some other types of Bipolar Disorder

Rapid cycling could be identified by 4 or more episodes of mania or depression that take place within 1 particular year. About 10% to 20% of people with bipolar disorder have suffered from rapid cycling. These episodes should continue for particular number of days in order to be recognized as distinct episodes. In rapid cycling, depressive illness can range from low to severe and can be experienced at any time in the course of illness. Some people may develop more than 1 episode in a week, or someone may experience within one day. Rapid cycling is basically more common if anyone is suffering from severe bipolar disorder and also if any one has developed bipolar disorder during his/her adolescent period.

Women tend to be more affected by rapid cycling than men. Suicidal thought is the severe outcome of the rapid cycling. Taking antidepressant might be harmful for anyone with rapid cycling.

However, rapid cycling can affect along with other types of bipolar disorder and does not last for longer period.

Mixed Bipolar

If anyone develops mixed bipolar disorder then he/she experiences the symptoms of both mania and depression concurrently or in rapid sequence.

Mixed bipolar includes the symptoms of racing thoughts, irritability, anger, mood shifts etc.

Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (BP-NOS)

If the symptoms are suffered by a person are too few to be diagnosed as the symptoms of bipolar disorder I or II or do not fit with diagnostic criteria for either bipolar I or II then this type of bipolar disorder is diagnosed. These symptoms are usually different from the person's normal range of behavior, for example, re-occurring hypo-manic episodes without depressive symptoms, very rapid swings between some symptoms of mania and some symptoms of depression.

Signs and Symptoms of Mania

Bipolar disorder is also referred as manic depression. About 1 per cent of the populations suffer from bipolar disorder at their lives due to ups and downs in life. Bipolar I disorder is basically characterized by its manic or mixed episode and diagnosed by some particular signs or symptoms.