Different Types of Bipolar Disorder

There are five different types of bipolar disorders. All are mood disorders that cause a person to exhibit alternating moods of highs (mania) and lows (depression). The symptoms of bipolar are similar in all the disorders, but the duration and intensity are different.

Bipolar Type 1

• This disorder was originally called manic depression. With bipolar 1, a person has the most extreme mood swings. Manic symptoms are recklessness and hyperactivity, while depressive symptoms are sadness and lack of energy.

Bipolar Type 2

• This is a less severe form of bipolar 1. The depressive symptoms of hopelessness and lethargy are still present, but there is hypomania instead of mania. Hypomania is a mild form of mania with less intense feelings.

Cyclothymia

• This is a mild version of bipolar type 1. The depressive and manic episodes have less intense emotions and behaviors.

Mixed Episode Bipolar

• In some instances, a person has the symptoms of both mania and depression simultaneously. A person is hyperactive but also feels hopeless.

Rapid Cycling Bipolar

• In rapid cycling, a person quickly alternates from symptoms of mania to symptoms of depression. In other mood disorders, each phases lasts weeks, but with rapid cycling, the duration is from hours to a few days.