Bipolar Disorder Types: Symptoms and Treatment

Bipolar Disorder Types:  Symptoms and Treatment

There’s a startling statistic that proves 50-70% of individuals who live with Bipolar Disorder and do not seek treatment, self medicate through the use of drugs (especially cocaine), alcohol, and sleeping medications.

What exactly is Bipolar Disorder, the symptoms and treatments and the different types? 

Bipolar Disorder (also known as Manic Depression) is a physical brain disorder that comes out in emotional ways. Anything that causes an emotional response can lead to a Bipolar Disorder mood swing.  It is a chemical imbalance in the brain. 

Bipolar Disorder is different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through in life. Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are severe.  As a result of the severity, damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide can be an outcome of the illness.  

Bipolar Disorder is not a character flaw, spiritual weakness or an excuse. It is a real disease just like heart disease or diabetes.  It is also a very treatable disease.  However, if an individual does not seek treatment, it can be life threatening.

There are three types of Bipolar Disorder:  Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Cyclothymia.

1) Bipolar I Disorder is the most severe type of Bipolar Disorder. It consist of severe “highs” (known as mania) and severe “lows” (major depression) with “normal” moods in between.

Symptoms of “Mania” in Bipolar I Disorder include rapid speech, risky behavior, paranoia, recklessness, irritability, rage, shopping sprees, increased sexual drive, grandiose thoughts, over-confidence, paranoia, very little sleep if any, impulsiveness, flight of thoughts (going from one topic to another cued by words that trigger some other thought), and psychosis.

Psychosis is the inability to distinguish reality from fantasy.   Common psychotic symptoms are hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or sensing the presence of things that are not actually there) and delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical or rational reasoning.)  Sometimes severe episodes of mania or depression include symptoms of Psychosis. 

Symptoms of “Depression” in Bipolar Disorder are uncontrollable sadness, irrational thoughts, isolation, severe fatigue, anxiety, loss of interest in activities, guilt, hopelessness, pessimism, worthlessness, decreased energy, severe fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, difficulty making decisions, sleeping too much or too little, rage, worry, confusion, restlessness, anger, psychotic episodes, suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts.

The best form of treatment for Bipolar I Disorder is medication and talk therapy. Without medication and talk therapy, statistics prove that up to 20% of people with Bipolar I Disorder commit suicide.

Medications that are commonly used in treating Bipolar I Disorder are mood stabilizers, anti-depressants, psychotic medications, anti-seizure and anti-anxiety medications.

Talk Therapy is just as important as medication when it comes to treatment for Bipolar I Disorder.  This can be anything from Counseling, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Guided Imagery, Support Groups and to many more.

2)  Bipolar II Disorder is a more mild form of Bipolar Disorder.

Symptoms include episodes of “hypomania” (feelings of euphoria instead of full-blown mania) that alternate with even longer periods of severe depression.  Psychosis is usually not a symptom of Bipolar II Disorder.

“Hypomania” can be a very good feeling.  With “hypomania”, though, comes a very long period of severe depression afterward.

Depression in Bipolar II Disorder is focused on more in treatment because it is so severe and over shadows the hypomania.  Anti-depressants are commonly used the most for Bipolar II Disorder, but sometimes mood stabilizers also help as well.

Talk therapy is another form of positive treatment for Bipolar II Disorder.

3)  Cyclothymia is the mildest form of Bipolar Disorder.

Individuals diagnosed with this may function well in life and experience mild depression with mild hypomania. However, those who live with Cyclothymia can become severely ill in response to certain substances or medications such as marijuana, alcohol, antidepressants, steroids, and high doses of decongestants.  These substances and medications may increase their depression or trigger full-blown mania.

If treatment is needed, it’s usually an anti-depressant for the mild to moderate depression episodes that may come with Cyclothymia.

Sub-Types of Bipolar Disorder:

Rapid-Cycling is a sub-type of Bipolar Disorder.  People who are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder are sometimes defined as having a “Rapid-Cycling” form of Bipolar I Disorder or Bipolar II Disorder if they have four or more episodes of mania or depression in one year, in any combination. 

Rapid-Cycling in Bipolar Disorder is a temporary phase and women are more prone to it than men.

Ultra-Rapid-Cycling is when there are more frequent episodes (than “Rapid Cycling” Bipolar) of depression or mania, with shorter times of normal mood in between. Individuals can experience mood changes in the same day, or even within an hour.

Mixed Mania is the most debilitating sub-type of Bipolar Disorder. Symptoms of both mania and depression occur at the same time or alternate frequently during the same day.  The person experiencing Mixed Mania Bipolar Disorder becomes excitable and agitated, as in mania, but also irritable, depressed and full of anxiety, instead of the euphoric feeling that is usually associated with mania.

Mixed Mania can be found in either Bipolar I Disorder or Bipolar II Disorder and occurs in about 40-50 percent of Bipolar Cases. 

Symptoms of Mixed Mania are restlessness, hyperactivity, irritability and sometimes paranoia or mania, combined with symptoms of depression and distress.  A positive mood or euphoric high that is usually experienced with classic mania or hypomania is missing in Mixed Mania Bipolar Disorder. 
People who live with this sub-type Bipolar Disorder are often more impulsive and suicidal than those who experience other forms of Bipolar Disorder.  They usually are not capable of being cooperative in a relationship, may have a very low tolerance for stress, and frequently express anger or rage.  These symptoms can occur in individuals with Bipolar I or Bipolar II Disorder.

Medication treatments are helpful in treating Rapid Cycling, Ultra-Rapid Cycling and Mixed Mania Bipolar Disorder.  Mood stabilizers, anti-anxiety and medication for psychosis are the most effective.

*As daunting as Bipolar Disorder seems, it can be treated and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.  How do I know this?  Because I was diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder Rapid-Cycling when I was 29 years old. Today, I live a stable, fulfilling life through medication and talk therapy treatment. 

There is hope and treatment for those who live with Bipolar Disorder and for those who are caregivers.  It’s important to take one day at a time…one moment at a time and to remember that recovery is not a destination, but a life long journey.