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Different Types of Bipolar Disorder

There are five different types of bipolar disorders. All are mood disorders that cause a person to exhibit alternating moods of highs (mania) and lows (depression). The symptoms of bipolar are similar in all the disorders, but the duration and intensity are different.

  1. Bipolar Type 1

    • This disorder was originally called manic depression. With bipolar 1, a person has the most extreme mood swings. Manic symptoms are recklessness and hyperactivity, while depressive symptoms are sadness and lack of energy.

    Bipolar Type 2

    • This is a less severe form of bipolar 1. The depressive symptoms of hopelessness and lethargy are still present, but there is hypomania instead of mania. Hypomania is a mild form of mania with less intense feelings.

    Cyclothymia

    • This is a mild version of bipolar type 1. The depressive and manic episodes have less intense emotions and behaviors.

    Mixed Episode Bipolar

    • In some instances, a person has the symptoms of both mania and depression simultaneously. A person is hyperactive but also feels hopeless.

    Rapid Cycling Bipolar

    • In rapid cycling, a person quickly alternates from symptoms of mania to symptoms of depression. In other mood disorders, each phases lasts weeks, but with rapid cycling, the duration is from hours to a few days.

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