Types of Bipolar
There are various categories of bipolar but the three main types used frequently in clinical practice are:
- Bipolar 1
- Bipolar 2
- Cyclothymia
People who are bipolar 1 experience the full mood spectrum from depression to mania and may also experience Psychosis.
People who are bipolar 2 experience the same depths of depression as a person who is bipolar 1 but they tend not to experience full blown mania. They do however experience hypomania. People who are bipolar 2 tend to be initially misdiagnosed more often than people with bipolar 1 as they often present themselves to their G.P. with symptoms of depression and will be treated with medication such as antidepressants which they tend not to respond to.
Cyclothymia is often discussed as a milder form of bipolar, and people with Cyclothymia tend to fluctuate between hypomania and dysthymia. Often people remain undiagnosed as they learn to manage their life around the fluctuations in mood.
