What Kind of Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorders are a group of mental illnesses that cause extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). These mood swings can be severe and can interfere with a person's ability to function in everyday life.

There are two main types of bipolar disorder:

1. Bipolar I disorder: This is the most severe type of bipolar disorder and is characterized by episodes of mania or mixed episodes (which include symptoms of both mania and depression) and episodes of major depression.

2. Bipolar II disorder: This type of bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of hypomania and episodes of major depression. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania that does not cause significant impairment in a person's ability to function.

Other types of bipolar disorder include:

1. Cyclothymia: This is a milder form of bipolar disorder characterized by mood swings that are less severe than those seen in bipolar I and bipolar II disorder.

2. Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BP-NOS): This category is used for cases of bipolar disorder that do not meet the criteria for any of the other types of bipolar disorder.

It is important to note that bipolar disorder is a spectrum disorder, meaning that symptoms can vary in severity and frequency from person to person. If you are experiencing any symptoms of bipolar disorder, it is important to seek professional help.