Bipolar Disorder II is a psychiatric disorder very similar to Bipolar Disorder I. The main difference between the two is the degree to which a patient experiences manic states. Bipolar II patients suffer from a less intense state of mania than those with Bipolar Disorder I. Bipolar Disorder II may manifest itself in a variety of way, specific to the patient.
Features
In order to be diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder II, a patient must suffer from at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode, without ever having suffered a full-blown manic or mixed episode. Also, other mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, must have been ruled out. Within the hypomanic and depressive episodes, the patient's symptoms must have been severe enough as to have impaired their daily functioning at work, school, self-care, or within their relationships.
Symptoms
Those with Bipolar Disorder II suffer from hypomania, which is quite different from the mania that distinguishes Bipolar Disorder I. Hypomania may result in insomnia, irritability, anxiety, agitation, rapid speech, feelings of euphoria, overconfidence and trouble focusing. Hypomania lacks the hallucinations, delusion, hyper-sexuality and extreme personality changes that can mark mania. During a hypomanic episode, the patient might make lots of plans and seem generally up-beat and energetic. They will seem less inhibited and more talkative. Hypomania may vary widely in duration, lasting several days, months or even years.
In Bipolar Disorder II, depressive episodes are marked by severe symptoms. These includes changes in sleeping patterns and appetite, irritability, frequent crying spells, bodily aches and pains, lack of energy, loss of pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, feelings of worthlessness, and thoughts of death and suicide. Since depression can be very severe in those with Bipolar Disorder II, suicide is of special concern.
Treatment
Bipolar Disorder I and Bipolar Disorder II may be treated with the same medications. Lithium and anti-depressants are often used. In most cases, medication is combined with some form of therapy. Psychiatrists, psychologists, medical doctors, and other health professionals often work as a team to treat bipolar patients. How effective a type of treatment is for a patient may change over time. and some with this disorder may find that treatment is a life-long process. Anticonvulsants like valproate and carbamazepine are also sometimes used to treat Bipolar Disorder.
Theories/Speculation
No one truly knows what causes either Bipolar Disorder I or Bipolar Disorder II. There may be a genetic link, as about half of all patients have a family history of the disorder.
The symptoms of Bipolar Disorder II are thought to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. During a depressive episode, levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, are usually abnormally low. Levels of norepinephrine, a second important neurotransmitter, may be exceptionally high during a manic episode and plummet when the mania has subsided.
Misconceptions
In addition to Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Disorder II is often confused with cyclothymia. The two differ in that the depressive episodes a patient with cyclothymia include less severe symptoms.
It may be assumed by some that it is not possible to lead a normal or productive while suffering from Bipolar Disorder I or II. While the disorder's symptoms are severe enough to disrupt daily living, many talented individuals have suffered from Bipolar Disorder and still managed to contribute greatly to society, whether ever having been treated or not. Those widely thought to have suffered from Bipolar Disorder or depression to some degree include Tennessee Williams, Mark Twain, Ludwig van Beethoven, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Charles Dickens, G.F. Handel, Hans Christian Anderson, Peter Tchaikovsky, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, T.S. Eliot, Victor Hugo, Michelangelo, Georgia O'Keefe, and Jackson Pollack. Rosemary Clooney, Dick Cavett, Kitty Dukakis, Peter Gabriel, Charlie Pride, Kristin Hersh of rock band Throwing Muses and Ted Turner have all made their struggles with Bipolar Disorder public.
Size
About 2.5% of US citizens suffer from some type of bipolar disorder. This is equal to about 6 million people in the United States alone. The disorder seems to effect men and women in equal numbers.
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