What Is Bipolar III?
Bipolar III is not an official psychiatric diagnosis. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is the reference book used to diagnose mental illnesses. Bipolar III is not included in the DSM.
People use the term bipolar III to refer to a mild form of bipolar disorder called cyclothymia. Cyclothymia is an official psychiatric diagnosis. Hypomania caused by antidepressants is also referred to as bipolar III.
If a person has some symptoms of depression but not severe enough to be labeled as a depressive episode or clinical depression and has mild episodes of hypomania, the person may be diagnosed with cyclothymia. Soft bipolar is another term used to describe cyclothymia, though it may also be used to refer to bipolar II.
Cyclothymia may be diagnosed for people with recurrent depressive episodes even if they have never had an episode of hypomania if the person has a family history of bipolar disorder or a temperament with characteristics like optimism, overconfidence, extroverted, inflated self-esteem, and over-involvement in other peoples lives as well as a minimal need for sleep.
When someone receives too high of a dosage of antidepressants or is sensitive to the antidepressant, it can cause symptoms of mania or hypomania. These symptoms include insomnia, distractibility, irritability, euphoria, inflated self-esteem.
Antidepressants are often an important component in the treatment for mood disorders. Sometimes, a psychiatrist must try several different antidepressants and dosages before the right combination for the individual is found.
If the bipolar III is due to antidepressants, the psychiatrist will make adjustments to the dosage or change the prescribed medication. Bipolar III that is cyclothymia may be treated with medication and cognitive therapy.
Someone diagnosed with cyclothymia may have their diagnosis changed to bipolar I if they have a more severe episode of hypomania that meets the diagnostic criteria for a manic episode. The diagnosis will probably be changed to either bipolar II or major depression if the person with cyclothymia has a depressive episode that is severe enough to meet the criteria for an episode of depression.
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