Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder Types

There are three types of bipolar disorder:

1. Bipolar I Disorder is a form of bipolar disorder where the person experiences one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes.

A maniac episode is a distinct period characterized by 1) an abnormal and persistent elevated, expansive, or irritable mood; 2) an inflated self-esteem or grandiosity; 3) decreased need to sleep; 4) distractibility; 5) increased need to talk or pressure to keep talking; 6) increased involvement in goal-directed activities with high potential of painful consequences; and 7) psychomotor agitation that lasts at least 1 week.
A mixed episode is a distinct period characterized by rapidly alternating moods between sadness, irritability, and euphoria.

Bipolar I disorder is a recurrent disorder, more than 90 percent of those that experience a manic episode will have future similar episodes. The average onset of bipolar I disorder is around the age of 20 for both men and women.

Hypomanic symptoms include the following:

1. Abnormal and persistent elevated, expansive, or irritable mood.
2. An inflated self-esteem or grandiosity.
3. Decreased need to sleep.
4. Distractibility.
5. Increased need to talk or pressure to keep talking.
6. Increased involvement in goal-directed activities with high potential of painful consequences, but without gross lapses of judgment or impulsive behavior.
7. Psychomotor agitation.

Depressive symptoms include:

1. Depressed mood and/or diminished interest or pleasure in nearly all activities.
2. Changes in appetite, weight, sleep and psychomotor activity.
3. Decreased energy.
4. Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
5. Difficulty thinking, concentrating, and making decisions.

recurrent thoughts of death, suicide ideation, plans, or attempts. Depressed and hypomanic symptoms’ periods are shorter, less severe, and do not occur with regularity as in bipolar I and II disorder.

Cyclothymic disorder is equally present in men and women. It usual occurs during adolescence or early adulthood with an insidious onset and a chronic evolution.

Article by Alina Morrow
MS Psychology
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com

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