Bipolar 1 vs Bipolar 2: What’s the Difference?

Bipolar disorder features a period of unusually intense, elevated, or irritable moods that are alternated with or accompanied by one or more depressive episodes. This is a lifelong diagnosis with symptoms including restlessness, agitation, sleeplessness, pressured speech, racing thoughts, sexual disinhibitions, surges of enegry, and grandiose beliefs. Many individuals are only taught about bipolar one and bipolar two, however there are more than two types.

Bipolar one is characterized by periods of severe mood episodes during mania and then into an episode of depression. Bipolar two includes more mild forms of mood elevation from hypomania that alternate with severe depression. The third type of bipolar disorder, cyclothymic disorder, is when an individual experiences brief periods of hypomanic symptoms that alternate with shorter periods of depressive symptoms. In cyclothymic disorder, depressive symptoms don’t last as long as bipolar one or two. In addition, people can have “mixed features” of bipolar disorder in which they experience simultaneous symptoms of opposite moods during manic, hypomanic, or depressive episodes. “Mixed features” symptoms include high energy, sleeplessness, and racing thoughts in addition to possible feelings of hopelessness and suicidal feelings. Lastly, rapid-cycling refers to when an individual has four or more mood episodes within the span of 12 months with episodes lasting for days to be considered distinct episodes. 

The prevalence of children diagnosed with any form of bipolar disorder is extremely rare, however the rate of which people are diagnosed increases after puberty. 60% of those diagnosed with bipolar one will have their first episode by the age of 19 and the majority receive a diagnosis as a teenager or in their early twenties. While bipolar disorder is a lifelong diagnosis, medication and psychotherapy help individuals struggling to live a healthier life.

Source: Webmd.com