What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a lifelong mood disorder and mental health condition that causes intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns and behavior. These shifts can last for hours, days, weeks or months and interrupt your ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. 

There are a few types of bipolar disorder, which involve experiencing significant fluctuations in mood referred to as hypomanic/manic and depressive episodes. However, people with bipolar disorder aren’t always in a hypomanic/manic or depressive state. They also experience periods of normal mood, known as euthymia.

Manic Episodes

A key feature of bipolar I disorder is manic episodes. To meet the criteria for bipolar I disorder, you must have had at least one manic episode in your life for at least a week with or without ever experiencing a depressive episode.

Mania is a condition in which you have a period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, as well as extreme changes in emotions, thoughts, energy, talkativeness and activity level. This highly energized level of physical and mental activity and behavior is a change from your usual self and is noticeable by others. People who are in manic states may indulge in activities that cause them physical, social or financial harm, such as suddenly spending or gambling extreme amounts of money or driving recklessly. They also occasionally develop psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, which can cause difficulties in distinguishing bipolar disorder from other disorders such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. 

People with certain types of bipolar such as bipolar II disorder experience hypomania, which is a less severe form of mania. It doesn’t last as long as manic episodes and it doesn’t interfere with daily functioning as much.

Depressive Episodes

During a depressive episode, you experience a low or depressed mood and/or loss of interest in most activities, as well as many other symptoms of depression, such as: 

• Tiredness.  
• Changes in appetite. 
• feelings of worthlessness and Hopelessness. 

What are the types of bipolar disorder?

There are four types of bipolar disorder, including

Bipolar I disorder: People with bipolar I disorder have experienced one or more episodes of mania. Most people with bipolar I will have episodes of both mania and depression, but an episode of depression isn’t necessary for a diagnosis. The depressive episodes usually last at least two weeks. To be diagnosed with bipolar I, your manic episodes must last at least seven days or be so severe that you need hospitalization. People with bipolar I can also experience mixed states (episodes of both manic and depressive symptoms). 

Bipolar II disorder: People with bipolar II experience depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes. But they never experience a full manic episode that’s characteristic of bipolar I disorder. While hypomania is less impairing than mania, bipolar II disorder is often more debilitating than bipolar I disorder due to chronic depression being more common in bipolar II.

Cyclothymic disorder (cyclothymia): People with cyclothymic disorder have a chronically unstable mood state. They experience hypomania and mild depression for at least two years. People with cyclothymia may have brief periods of normal mood (euthymia), but these periods last fewer than eight weeks. 

Other specified and unspecified bipolar and related disorders: If a person doesn’t meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar I, II or cyclothymia but has still experienced periods of clinically significant abnormal mood elevation, it’s considered other specified or unspecified bipolar disorder.

Care at Positivty

Our caring team of Positivty experts can help you with your bipolar disorder-related health concerns. If you are searching for the best “therapy near me” or the best “psychologist near me” to understand the signs of bipolar disorder and receive formalized treatment for bipolar disorder, connect with the best psychologist in India at Positivty!!.

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Summary

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition. It involves changes in mood, energy levels, and attention, alongside other symptoms. 

It can severely disrupt a person’s life, but treatment can drastically improve a person’s outlook and well-being. 

Treatment may not eliminate mood changes entirely, but working closely with a healthcare professional can make symptoms more manageable and maximize quality of life.