Bipolar Disorder

What are the different types of bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder causes recurring changes in your mood, energy, and behavior. These changes cycle between low-energy periods of depression and episodes of high energy, known as mania — hence bipolar disorder’s original name, manic-depressive disorder.

The frequency and severity of the depression and mania vary, however, depending on the type of bipolar disorder. These are the primary types:

Bipolar I disorder

This type of bipolar disorder is defined as having at least one full-blown manic episode that’s preceded or followed by major depression. When you have bipolar I disorder, your manic episode is severe, often requiring inpatient treatment.

Bipolar II disorder

Patients with bipolar II disorder have at least one hypomanic episode, which is a less extreme form of mania, as well as one or more episodes of major depression.

Cyclothymic disorder

Cyclothymic disorder causes many periods of hypomanic and depressive symptoms. You’ll have all the same symptoms as hypomania and depression, but your symptoms are less severe.

What symptoms develop due to bipolar disorder?

A full-blown manic episode is easily recognized by the changes in your behavior. By comparison, hypomania can be hard to identify because you continue to meet your daily responsibilities. With hypomania, you may feel like you’re at the top of your game rather than experiencing a bipolar change in energy and mood.

Symptoms of mania include:

• Having an elevated sense of importance
• Feeling super-energized or wired
• Maintaining a high activity level
• Finding it hard to sleep
• Talking very fast
• Feeling agitated and irritable
• Having racing thoughts
• Engaging in risky behaviors (e.g. spending too much money, reckless sex)
• Symptoms of depression include:
  • Feeling especially sad or hopeless
  • Having a markedly low amount of energy
  • Avoiding your usual activities
  • Sleeping too much or too little
  • Finding it hard to concentrate
  • Eating too much or too little
  • Thinking about suicide

Bipolar disorder often runs in families, but extreme stress, insomnia, and overuse of drugs or alcohol can also trigger the disease in susceptible patients.

How is bipolar disorder treated?

After evaluating your symptoms, Dr. Chowdhury may recommend treatment with medication and therapy for ongoing emotional and behavioral support. Finding the best medication may take time because each person responds differently to medications.

Dr. Chowdhury may speed up the process by recommending genetic testing, which provides information about how your body metabolizes medications. Whether you need help with depression or mania for your bipolar disorder, call Carolina Psychiatry, PC, or book an appointment online.