Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, is a serious mental health condition that causes severe mood swings. This is a lifelong illness that many people around the world experience. Someone suffering from this disease will alternate between states of depression and mania. A manic state describes a person who is very depressed or suicidal, yet is very talkative, reckless, or restless. Depression describes the opposite mood—sadness, crying, loss of energy, and sleep problems. Within bipolar disorder, there are two types of this disease: Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2. Here are a few tips to help you recognize the difference. 

Bipolar 1 is the more serious of the two because the patient will cycle between depression and mania in very short periods of time. These severe mood swings are known as rapid cycling and can cause the patient to experience extreme highs for one or two days followed by sudden bursts of depression. According to WebMD, about 2.5% of the U.S. population suffers from bipolar I disorder—almost 6 million people. Bipolar I patients are treated with drugs, such as antidepressants or mood stabilizers. 

Type 2 bipolar is a milder form of this disease and is less dangerous for the patient and they can live normal lives. This disorder involves milder episodes of hypomania and depression. Depressive episodes within this disease are similar to clinical depression symptoms, such as low energy, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and thoughts of suicide, which can last weeks, months, or even years. Regular therapy sessions with a psychiatrist and taking antidepressants can help to stabilize the patient’s mood. This will help reduce the number of hospitalizations and allow the patient to lead a healthier life. 

Please contact Solace Counseling for any further questions you may have regarding this disease or any other mood disorders. If you would like to find out more about us, please visit us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.