Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mood disorder characterized by extreme shifts in mood, from depressive lows to manic highs.

What Are The Different Types Of Bipolar Disorder?

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) has divided bipolar disorder into two types, Bipolar I, the more severe form, and Bipolar II, the "milder" form. In addition, the DSM-IV lists as separate disorders "Cyclothymia," which could be described as an even milder version of bipolar, and schizoaffective disorder, which borders on schizophrenia.

What Are The Symptoms Of Bipolar I?

Bipolar I requires only the presence of a single manic episode, though just about all people with bipolar I experience major depressive episodes, as well. The DSM describes a manic episode as "a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, lasting at least one week" (or requiring hospitalization). In addition, the DSM requires at least four of the following seven symptoms (three if merely irritable)

1. Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity

2. Decreased need for sleep

3. More talkative than usual

4. Flight of ideas, racing thoughts

5. Distractibility

6. Increase in goal-setting activity or psychomotor agitation

7. Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities (such as buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments).

The DSM goes on to say that the symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with work or social relations or necessitate hospitalization to prevent harm to one’s self or others.

Not really. People on manic highs are out of control, and people out of control quickly get into trouble. Ruined careers, personal bankruptcy, and wrecked relationships are par for the course, and hospitalization, incarceration, and homelessness are far too common. Moreover the intoxicating high of mania (euphoria) can turn on itself into a raging agitation (dysphoria) that creates a state of internal hell. Also, most people in a manic episode experience at least one psychotic symptom (such as delusional thoughts or hallucinations). Finally, there are "mixed" states where one is literally both manic and depressed.

What Are The Symptoms Of Bipolar Ii?

The DSM mandates the presence or history of at least one major depressive episode and the presence or history of at least one hypomanic episode. Hypomania can be described as "mild" mania, with the same symptoms, but where the symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with work or social functioning, though they are observable by others.

Those Hypomanic Highs Must Be Fun.

Yes, definitely. One can define hypomania as "life of the party" behavior with "salesperson of the month" productivity. Unfortunately, because everything seems so "right" in a state of hypomania, people experiencing these episodes are unaware that there is anything wrong, and fail to seek help. Nothing lasts forever, however, and inevitably there is a crash into depression or an escalation into mania. People with bipolar I often experience hypomania as a prelude to mania.

Can You Elaborate On Nothing Lasts Forever?

Let me qualify my statement. There are some whose success seems attributable to a perpetual state of hypomania. Because they are successful they don’t come to the attention of the psychiatric profession. Noted bipolar authority Kay Jamison PhD at a conference in 2002 described Teddy Roosevelt as "hypomanic on a mild day."