What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive illness, is a common illness characterized by current episodes of mania and major depression. An affected person's mood can swing from excessive highs (mania) to profound hopelessness (depression), usually with periods of normal mood in between. Some individuals may exhibit mixed symptoms of both mania and depression at the same time, while others may have more moderate symptoms of mania (hypo mania).
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The type, severity and duration of mood episodes experienced can vary. Some individuals may have a predominance of either mania or depression, whereas some sufferers may experience equal numbers of both. The mood episodes can last for a few days to as long as several months, particularly when left untreated or not treated effectively.
Depressions tend to last longer than manic episodes. Typically, a person with bipolar disorder can expect an average of ten episodes of mania or depression in his or her lifetime but some sufferers experience much more frequent mood episodes. The frequency of episodes tends to increase with time and individuals who experience four or more episodes in a year are said to have rapid cycling.
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Bipolar Disorder Types
Bipolar I disorder
Individuals have had at least one full manic or mixed mood episode, and may or may not suffer from episodes of depression.
Bipolar II disorder
Individuals have at least one depressive episode and at least one hypo manic episode, but never experience a full manic or mixed mood episode. Bipolar II can go unrecognized because the hypo manic symptoms may not appear that unusual.
Cyclothymic disorder
Individuals have suffered numerous hypo manic and depressive symptoms over at least 2 years that are not severe enough or not long enough in duration to meet the criteria for a mood episode.
Subtypes of bipolar
Rapid cycling
Individuals who experience more frequent mood episodes ( 4 or more per year) are called rapid cyclers.Ultra-Rapid Cycling
This is the same as rapid cycling, only the cycles are more frequent. (4 or more per week, and can cycle as rapidly as 4 or more per day)Seasonal pattern
Some individuals have predictable seasonal patterns to the onset of their mood episodes.Post-partum onset
When the mood disturbance occurs within 4 weeks of childbirth.