The essential feature of bipolar II disorder is a clinical course characterized by the appearance of one or more Major Depressive Episodes accompanied by at least one hypomanic episode. To truly understand bipolar ii disorder first we must know the definition of what a hypomanic episode is. A hypomanic episode is defined as a period where there is an abnormal mood, expansive or irritable feelings lasting at least four days. This period of abnormal mood must be accompanied by at least another three symptoms from a list that includes:
- inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
- sleeplessness
- verbose speech
- flight of ideas
- distractibility
- increased intentional activities or psychomotor agitation
- excessive involvement in pleasurable activities with high potential for painful consequences.
In younger people, hypomanic episodes may be associated with antisocial behavior, school failure and substance abuse. In general these mood symptoms can cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
The presence of a manic or mixed episode disables the diagnosis of bipolar 2 disorder. The diagnosis is based on the experiences reported by the patient himself as well as abnormalities in behavior reported by family members, friends or co-workers. This is followed by secondary signs observed by a psychiatrist, nurse, social worker, clinical psychologist or other qualified professional through a clinical evaluation. There is a list of criteria that must be met for someone to receive the diagnosis. These depend on both the presence and duration of certain signs and symptoms.
There is currently no cure for bipolar II disorder, however it can be controlled. The goal of treatment is to effectively control the course of the disease over the long term which may involve the treatment of emerging symptoms. To achieve this, using pharmacological and psychological techniques, drug treatment is based on the use of mood stabilizers and the only psychological techniques that have proved to be effective is psychoeducation.
When talking about bipolarity we also have to mention manic depression. This refers to the mood of a person, alternating between the “poles” of mania (highs) and depression (lows). Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy and ability to function in a person. Manic-depressive illness or bipolar disorder, affects both men and women. Although it may begin at any age, it usually begins in late adolescence. It affects people of all ages, races, ethnic groups and social classes. It seems to have a genetic link that runs in families. Unfortunately, besides affecting the lives of those suffering from this disease it also has the potential to devastate the lives of those who care for and those in the immediate family circle. Finally we’ll have to mention the cyclothymic disorder. It is a mild form of bipolar disorder, in which a person has swings in mood ranging from mild or moderate depression to euphoria and excitement but stays connected to reality. Although the changes in mood are irregular and rapid the cause of this disorder is less severe than in bipolarity. Unlike bipolar II disorder, periods of hypomania often fail to become truly manic and is thus less severe.