Bipolar disorder comes in three varieties. A person with “Bipolar I” has had at least one episode of mania or mixed symptoms (mania and depression together) along with at least one episode of depression lasting at least one week. In Bipolar II, severe depression predominates with an occasional shift to mild mania. Depression can be longer, deeper and more likely to lead to suicide attempts than in Bipolar I. In contrast, a variation called cyclothymic disorder features less-intense episodes of mania and depression that last for over 2 months each. This can continue for years or morph into full-blown bipolar disorder. In all types, mood shifts sometimes cycle rapidly, changing in weeks, days or even hours.

• In Bipolar I, periods of depression may last for 6-12 months or longer. Like clockwork, manic episodes occur just before or after the depression.
• In this type, extreme mania with hallucinations and delusions may be mis-diagnosed as schizophrenia by doctors.
• People with bipolar II may be more likely to get reprieves—periods of normality between the highs and lows.
• Since cyclothymia often features low moods and irritability, this bipolar type may be wrongly treated as just mild depression.
• Lithium, anti-seizure drugs, and mood-stabilizers called atypical anti-psychotics can all help stop the see-sawing moods of bipolar disorder.

Featuring the top 3 experts for this topic