This document provides information about bipolar disorder, including its types, symptoms, and treatment options. It describes the three main types of bipolar disorder as Type I, Type II, and Cyclothymia. Type I involves manic and depressive episodes and was formerly called manic depression. Type II involves hypomanic rather than fully manic episodes alternating with depression. Cyclothymia is a mild form with less severe mood swings alternating between hypomania and mild depression. The document outlines symptoms of manic and depressive episodes and reviews common treatments which include mood stabilizing medications, electroconvulsive therapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation.

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Bipolar Disorder
Types
Symptoms
& Treatment
A condition in which people alternate between periods
of a very good or irritable mood and depression.

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Table of Contents
Types of Bipolar Disorder
Symptoms
Treatment
References

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Types of Bipolar Disorder
 Type I
 At least one manic episode and periods of major depression
 Was once called manic depression
 Type II
 Never had full mania
 Have periods of high energy levels and impulsiveness, not as
extreme as mania (called hypomania)
 Alternate with periods of depression

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Types of Bipolar Disorder
 Cyclothymia
 Mild form
 Involves less severe mood swings
 People alternate between hypomania and mild mild depression
 People with Type II or
Cyclothymia may be wrongly
diagnosed as having
depression.

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Types of Bipolar Disorders
Review Questions
 Which type has the least amount of mood swings?
 Which type has combinations of high energy with impulses
 Are they as extreme as mania?
 What was Type I known as in the past?
 Do people diagnosed as Type I suffer from major depression?
 What periods do people with cyclothymia alternate between?

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Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
Manic phases can last from days to months. Their
symptoms include:
 Easily Distraced  Very elevated mood
 Excess activity
 Little need for sleep  Increased energy
 racing thoughts
 Poor judgement  Talking a lot
 Very high self-esteem
 Poor temper control
 Very involved in activities
 Reckless behavior
 Binge eating, drinking, and/or drug  Very upset
use
 Sex with many partners  Occur with bipolar disorder I.
 Spending sprees People with Type II have similar
symptoms, but less severe.

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Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
 Daily low mood or sadness  Loss of pleasure in activities once
enjoyed
 Difficulty
concentrating, remembering, or  Loss of self esteem
making decisions
 Thoughts of death and suicide
 Eating problems
 Loss of appetite and weight loss  Trouble sleeping or sleeping too
 Overreacting and weight gain much
 Fatigue or lack of energy  Pulling away from friends
 Feeling worthless, hopeless, guilty

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Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
Review Questions
 How long do manic phases last?
 Are the symptoms for people with Type II more severe than
mania?
 What are 3 symptoms experienced during the depressed phase
of both types?
 What are 3 examples of reckless behavior seen in mania
behavior?
 Do the symptoms of mania also occur in those with Type I?

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Treatments for Bipolar Disorder
 Main goals in treatment are to:
 Avoid moving from one phase to the other
 Avoid need for hospital stay
 Help patient function as well as possible between episodes
 Prevent self-injury and suicide
 Make the episodes less severe
 Periods of depression of mania return in most even with treatment.

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Treatments for Bipolar Disorder
 The following drugs (mood  Electroconvulsive therapy
stabilizers) are usually used (ECT) is used when there’s no
response to medication
first:
 Carbamazepine  Transcranial magnetic
 Lamotrigine stimulation (TMS)
 Lithium  High-frequency magnetic pulses
to target affected areas of brain.
 Valproate  Most often used after ECT
 Carbamazepine
 Others Include:
 Lamotrigine
 Antipsychotic drugs and anti-  Lithium
anxiety drugs
 Valproate
 Antidepressants

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Treatments of Bipolar Disorder
Review Questions
 What drugs are generally used first in treating bipolar disorder?
 What are two main goals of treatment?
 What does ECT stand for?
 What is it used for?
 What does TMS stand for?
 What is TMS?
 When is it usually used?

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Resources
“An Integrated Approach to the Management of Bipolar Disorder:
An Alliance of Science and Medicine.” Medscape. 28 July 2003.
7 July 2011 < www.medscape.org/viewarticle/459327_1 >
United States. National Center for Biotechnology, U.S. National
Library of Medicine. PubMed Health. Bipolar Disorder. 29
March 2011. 7 July 2011 <
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gove/pubmedhealth/PMH00019247 >