Bipolar Disorder And The Different Types

The three main types of bipolar disorder can be characterized by its manic depressive episodes. The person can be irritable in a manic episode due to ...


The three main types of bipolar disorder can be characterized by its manic depressive episodes. The person can be irritable in a manic episode due to hyperactivity and due to this, he or she is fully awake even during sleeping hours. In a depressive episode, the person experience sadness, melancholy, loss of hope and tends to be tired and weak, leading to periods of inactivity. The main differences between the types of bipolar disorder can be attributed to the severity or combination of these episodes.

Bipolar I disorder is one of the types of bipolar disorder and it fits the most classic concept of a manic-depressive person. People who have bipolar I disorder have a more prolonged manic episodes which may last from a week to several months. Another key characteristic of this type of bipolar disorder is that the person experiences delusions of grandeur on the manic phase.

The second classification of the types of bipolar disorder is called the bipolar II disorder. In this particular bipolar disorder, the person experiences a calmer hypomanic phase instead of a manic episode. By this process, they no longer have delusions and they can fit in and be functional as compared to those who suffer from bipolar I disorder. The hypomanic phase in this bipolar disorder makes the person so ecstatic that they even stop their medications so they can experience this episode longer.

Cyclothymic disorder is the third and last classification of the types of bipolar disorder. The mood swings of the person who has this type is milder, as compared to the first two types. This condition has been there for quite some time waiting to be developed into a full blown bipolar disorder.

In addition to those aforementioned types of bipolar disorder, a symptom called rapid cycling can also be considered as a sub-type. People who have this kind of bipolar disorder experience four episode changes in the period of one year. Others may suffer multiple episodes in one day leading to severe depression and suicidal tendencies.

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