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What Classifies Bipolar Two Disorder?

Bipolar II disorder is a milder form of full-blown bipolar or manic depressive illness. People who have bipolar II suffer from mood swings ranging from depression to over-elation, medically known as hypomania.

  1. Hypomania Defined

    • Hypomania is an abnormally elevated mood in which a person talks more, needs less sleep, is more quickly irritated and can also engage in impulsive behavior such as risky sex, according to the DSM-IV criteria.

    Depression Defined

    • Depression is an unusually sad mood that causes loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities and may or may not include suicidal thoughts, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

    Time Frame

    • To merit a bipolar II diagnosis, a hypomanic state usually must last at least four days and be preceded or followed by a depressive episode, according to the DSM-IV criteria.

    Considerations

    • If the patient has had a manic state, where severe impulsive behavior and excessive talking may occur, then a bipolar II diagnosis usually will not apply.

    Function

    • Those who have bipolar II usually suffer some impairment to normal functioning during their mood swings but not to the severity those with bipolar I might experience.

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