What is the difference between Bipolar ii Disorder and Bipolar I Disorder? Do you know the answer? Many don’t though it’s very specific.
Bipolar ii disorder has all of the same symptoms as bipolar I disorder with one MAJOR difference. Bipolar I disorder has full blown mania that often comes with psychosis. Bipolar ii disorder has hypomania that rarely comes with psychosis. My dear friend Sherri has bipolar I disorder. She has to be very careful as her mania is always lurking around and waiting to take over. She takes lithium and zyprexa to keep the mania and psychosis at bay. I have bipolar ii hypomania. Mine is very euphoric though it can be agitated. Mine doesn’t have psychosis- my bipolar psychosis can be around without any other serious mood swings though I am usually depressed.
Bipolar I disorder was the only bipolar disorder recognized for many, many years. Recently, the bipolar ii disorder diagnosis has become more common as doctors now know the signs of hypomania.
I have just as much trouble with bipolar ii disorder as my friend Sherri has with her bipolar I diagnosis. Just in different ways.
This is a fascinating topic- there is a lot of information on the right that describes the difference between the two bipolar disorder diagnoses. Which one do you have? If you care about someone with the illness? What is their diagnosis? Knowing your diagnosis is extremely important as it determines the medications used to treat the illness!
Julie
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Thanks for the breakdown for those out there that dont know the difference!
I have Bipolar 11 and some doctors try and say i dont have Bipolar because of the lack of pyscosis, they are still unaware of the two kinds and the differences, It gets very frustrating…
Hi Jaime,
I assume you are talking with general doctors? They don’t study much psych in school and unless they do a lot of outside study, it can be really hard to understand the ins and outs of bipolar II. My doctor is a general doctor and he is wonderul- what I admire most is that he will ask me for information when he is not sure of something.
So, I do care about and respect doctors greatly, but the doctors you have talked with are confused. The difference between bipolar I and bipolar II is the intensity of the mania. The diagnosis has nothing to do with psychosis. Psychosis is certainly present for a lot of people with bipolar II, but it’s not a prerequesit! Also, it may be that you have had psychosis that you didn’t know was psychosis. That happened to me for over ten years. My psychosis article will be out in the next few months. There will be a link on this blog- I think it will clear up a lot of misperceptions about bipolar disorder and psychosis!
Thanks for writing, Julie
Just 17 days into Abilify. A strange Alice in Wonderland world and I don’t hate it– but today I feel abandoned by my doctor emotionally. This isn’t his fault; I am just so connected to him because my world is so turned upside down because of his Rx decisions, and he doesn’t even know it. I am voiceless, too, alas– a patient. Even though my brother is a doctor, that is to say, I’m not in awe– I can’t have an actual coversation with my doctor about dosages of my own medicine. (But how do you explain Wonderland anyway…) I’m bipolar (II) with P features. Anyone taking Abilify and feels like talking about it? Thanks for letting me vent. Julie, many kudos for sharing this awesome and ever growing, informative accurate blog. Doctor’s should read it- Some PCP’s don’t even own DSM 1V, right? We are a strange bunch. Very cool.