It is a condition that was once known as manic depression. In the simplest terms it is a condition that causes the sufferer to go through periods of depression and mania. Having mood swinging from high to low can severely impact the quality of a person’s life.
The “Manic” part of the old name referenced the abundantly energetic, euphoric upswing where sufferer’s of the condition would find themselves impulsive, risk taking, going on binge spending, substance abuse, maxing out credit cards or dipping into savings, and impulsive undertaking of risky sex. Then this can take on a darker edge; such as feeling trapped in a situation, irritable, confused and angry. Some people have likened it to a wrecking ball.
“Hypomania” refers to a less severe form of mania that people with bipolar ii encounter, though sufferer’s still experience periods of recurring depression.
The “Depression” part is one people are more familiar with the lack of energy, sleep problems, inability to find pleasure from anything, crying, lethargy a feeling of being worthless, and of course the depressive part of the condition has the same dangers as normal depression. The sense of despair and hopelessness can lead to attempts at suicide. It’s important for someone to seek help immediately if this is the case.
what kind of disorder is bipolar?
Like gazing into someone's soul, diagnosing bipolar is tricky
Bipolar disorders fall under the category of depressive disorders alongside several other conditions such as depression, and seasonal affective disorder to name but a few. With such conditions the thoughts, mind, and body are all effected by the shift in mood and they can interfere with normal day to day living. This in turn causes pain not only for those with the condition but also their friends and family.
These disorders are more widespread than public awareness of them would indicate. While bipolar disorder itself will effect 1.3% of all adults, those who will suffer from some sort of depressive disorder are much more common. One in every seven people will be effected which adds up to some 17 million people in the US alone. So it’s important not to think on these as being something which isolates, but in fact they are something that many people have to deal with, very common, and there’s no reason to feel stigmatised by being affected by such a disorder.
What are the different types of bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder like any condition is complicated and defied simple explanation, therfore a few categories have sprung up in order to better represent the experiences of those reporting their symptoms. These are bipolar i, bipolar ii, bipolar iii, and rapid cycling bipolar disorder.
What is bipolar disorder 1?
Though the numbering might through you off, bipolar i disorder isn’t actually the commonest form. Bipolar ii is in fact most common, but collectively bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 make up the bulk of the diagnoses. Bipolar i disorder is characterized by intense periods of both mania and the resulting lows when the depression hits. There can still be long periods where the moods are stable. Those diagnosed tend to have had recurring depression and only one or two episodes of the mania, albeit very spectacular ones.
What is bipolar disorder 2?
The recurring depression is of course present, but bipolar ii sufferers have less severe manic episodes, and the elation and upswings are less strong. This does make it harder to identify, especially among those who manage to stay out of trouble and maintain their routine. This less severe mania called hypomania. Hypomania has otherwise all of the symptoms of mania, but it’s less severe and therefore less stressful to experience and causes less damage or disruption to work, social or family life.
What is bipolar disorder 3?
Bipolar 3 is also called Cyclothymia which is long term and features a cycle where mods waver between hypomania to depression. In the case of bipolar iii, hypomania doesn’t include the delusions, halllucinations or the psychotic features that those with bi polar disorder normally encounter, and similarly the depression is also severe but without being incapacitating or driving the sufferer towards suicidal thoughts.
What is Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder?
This is where the sufferer feels as if they are on a rollercoaster ride as they zig zag back and forth between the highs and lows of the condition. Only 5 to 14 percent of all those who have bipolar will suffer from rapid cycling, making it a less common occurance. The cycles mean there’s potential for above four mood episodes in a year.
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