Bipolar II
There are three types of bipolar disorder, also called manic depression. Bipolar II is a psychological disorder that causes episodes of depression and hypomania.
The symptoms of hypomania are feelings of euphoria, irritability, higher than usual sex drive, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating. An episode of hypomania is a milder form of a manic episode.
The common symptoms of depression are hopelessness, helplessness, feelings of guilt or shame, lower than usual sex drive, suicidal thoughts, and difficulty sleeping or oversleeping. The symptoms of depression can be debilitating.
Hallucinations and delusions can be symptoms of severe depression. Hallucinations and delusions from depression reflect the depressed mood of the individual. An example is feeling that the world is a painful place and then having the delusion that they must kill their children in order to save them from the pain.
Studies have shown that bipolar disorder is at least partially hereditary. Having a family history of depression, bipolar I, or bipolar II makes the person have a greater risk of developing bipolar disorder.
There are effective treatments for bipolar II disorder, but there is no cure. The symptoms may persist over the individuals lifetime.
People can often learn to manage the symptoms and lead normal lives. For some people, the symptoms interfere with their relationships and employment. Some people may need to receive Social Security Disability for bipolar II.
Bipolar II is typically treated with both therapeutic treatment and medication. The typical medications used are a mood stabilizer like Lithium or Depakote, and an antidepressant. Care must be taken to not take too much of an antidepressant or it could cause a manic episode.
Hypomania caused by antidepressants can be referred to as bipolar III. Bipolar III is not an official diagnosis. If someone diagnosed with bipolar II has a manic episode, the diagnosis is usually changed to bipolar I.
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