What's the MAIN difference between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2?!
Question: What's the MAIN difference between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2!?
I've looked up a lot of stuff on line but I can't really find any CLEAR answers!. If one's worse than the other!.!.!.which one is it!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Bipolar I does full on mania - defining characteristics include psychosis (always BPI), disorganized/irrational thinking, extreme energy, major disinhibition, etc!.
Bipolar II does hypomania - a lessor form of the above w/no psychosis!. Lessor, however, can still be pretty severe!.
Bipolar II is marked by depression!. It is not milder than BPI depression as some indicated!. It also is more apt to include psychosis!. Bipolar II also is much more apt to have subsyndromal symptoms between episodes (dysthymia usually)!. BPII also tends to progress to rapid cycling more than does BPI!. These are not necessarily mild cycles as previously indicated!. As more research is conducted, there is increasing awareness that BPII is not a less severe form of bipolar, it is a different form of the illness with characteristics that can be equally debilitating!.
This is a good site on the milder form of BPII, sometime referred to soft bipolar or BPIII!.
http://www!.psycheducation!.org/depression!.!.!.
Sorry, I don't have anything like it on BPI!.
I technically have bipolar II!. The meds I'm on are a high dose of Lithium, medium doses of Depakote and Lamictal, and a little Seroquel!. A little bit different than the above answer would indicate!. In fact, most of the ppl with bipolar II that I know have to take more medication to control the illness than those I know with bipolar I!. That circle is about 40 ppl thru a support group plus others I've noticed online!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Bipolar II does hypomania - a lessor form of the above w/no psychosis!. Lessor, however, can still be pretty severe!.
Bipolar II is marked by depression!. It is not milder than BPI depression as some indicated!. It also is more apt to include psychosis!. Bipolar II also is much more apt to have subsyndromal symptoms between episodes (dysthymia usually)!. BPII also tends to progress to rapid cycling more than does BPI!. These are not necessarily mild cycles as previously indicated!. As more research is conducted, there is increasing awareness that BPII is not a less severe form of bipolar, it is a different form of the illness with characteristics that can be equally debilitating!.
This is a good site on the milder form of BPII, sometime referred to soft bipolar or BPIII!.
http://www!.psycheducation!.org/depression!.!.!.
Sorry, I don't have anything like it on BPI!.
I technically have bipolar II!. The meds I'm on are a high dose of Lithium, medium doses of Depakote and Lamictal, and a little Seroquel!. A little bit different than the above answer would indicate!. In fact, most of the ppl with bipolar II that I know have to take more medication to control the illness than those I know with bipolar I!. That circle is about 40 ppl thru a support group plus others I've noticed online!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Bipolar One is the harder (or worse) of the two!. Bipolar One is marked by equally occurring periods of mania and depression!. Often the person will go between the two more quickly than Bipolar Two!. Bipolar Two has many more periods of depression versus mania, but both sides of the spectrum are less disruptive to the person's life!. People with Bipolar One are generally harder to treat and have a much harder time controlling the mood shifts (even more so when unmedicated or not faithfully taking meds)Www@Answer-Health@Com
Bipolar 1 = full blown mania
Bipolar 2 = hypomania
Both experience depression, although Bipolar 2 tends to be characterized by more depressive episodes!.
Also, Bipolar 1 tends to have longer episodes, so a mood swing may last weeks or months!. For example, I was had a depressed episode that lasted 8 months!.
Bipolar 2 can have more rapidly shifting moods!.
Bipolar 1 mainly treated with Lithium or Depakote, with other medications as add-ons!.
Bipolar 2 mainly treated with Lamictal with other medications as add-ons!.
PS: The above poster is incorrect in many issues!.
The mood episodes are NOT equally occuring!. Someone with Bipolar 1 may have an episode of mania and then have 3 episodes of depression!. IN general, an episode of mania will be followed by an episode of depression, but if the doctors catch it, you can prevent it!.
And Bipolar 1 DOES NOT switch more quickly than Bipolar 2!. Bipolar 1 episodes are characterized by longer length of time!. An episode can last for months!. IT IS NOT CONTINUSOUS SWITCHING!. (Look at the DSM criteria because it actually lists length of time for episodes)
And also, some doctors believe Bipolar 2 is more difficult to treat because they swift moods more frequently!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Bipolar 2 = hypomania
Both experience depression, although Bipolar 2 tends to be characterized by more depressive episodes!.
Also, Bipolar 1 tends to have longer episodes, so a mood swing may last weeks or months!. For example, I was had a depressed episode that lasted 8 months!.
Bipolar 2 can have more rapidly shifting moods!.
Bipolar 1 mainly treated with Lithium or Depakote, with other medications as add-ons!.
Bipolar 2 mainly treated with Lamictal with other medications as add-ons!.
PS: The above poster is incorrect in many issues!.
The mood episodes are NOT equally occuring!. Someone with Bipolar 1 may have an episode of mania and then have 3 episodes of depression!. IN general, an episode of mania will be followed by an episode of depression, but if the doctors catch it, you can prevent it!.
And Bipolar 1 DOES NOT switch more quickly than Bipolar 2!. Bipolar 1 episodes are characterized by longer length of time!. An episode can last for months!. IT IS NOT CONTINUSOUS SWITCHING!. (Look at the DSM criteria because it actually lists length of time for episodes)
And also, some doctors believe Bipolar 2 is more difficult to treat because they swift moods more frequently!.Www@Answer-Health@Com