Bipolar II disorder is not a milder form of bipolar I disorder, but a separate diagnosis. While
the manic episodes of bipolar I disorder can be severe and dangerous
, individuals with bipolar II disorder can be depressed for longer periods, which can cause significant impairment.
Is Bipolar 2 a serious mental illness?
Bipolar disorder is
a serious mental illness
. People who have it go through unusual mood changes. They go from very happy, “up,” and active to very sad and hopeless, “down,” and inactive, and then back again.
What it’s like living with bipolar 2?
Depressed mood (sad, hopeless, empty) most of the day, nearly every day (in kids or teens, this can look like irritability)
Loss of interest or pleasure in previously favorite activities
.
Significant changes in appetite or weight
.
Restlessness
, such as pacing the room.
How bad is stage 2 bipolar?
Bipolar II disorder has
one or more severe major depressive episodes
with at least one hypomanic episode. Hypomania is a lesser form of mania. There are no manic episodes, but the individual may experience a mixed episode. Bipolar II doesn’t disrupt your ability to function as much as bipolar I disorder.
Does Bipolar 2 get worse with age?
Bipolar may worsen with age or over time if this condition is left untreated
. As time goes on, a person may experience episodes that are more severe and more frequent than when symptoms first appeared.
Can someone with bipolar truly love?
Absolutely. Can someone with bipolar disorder have a normal relationship?
With work from both you and your partner, yes
. When someone you love has bipolar disorder, their symptoms can be overwhelming at times.
Are bipolar people smart?
Bipolar disorder is uncommon in the general population, as is
very high intelligence
, so studying very large numbers of people is necessary for reliable detection of any association between the two.
Does Bipolar 2 qualify for disability?
Bipolar disorder is included in the Social Security Listings of Impairments, which means that if your illness has
been diagnosed by a qualified medical practitioner and is severe enough to keep you from
working, you are eligible to receive disability benefits.
Can bipolar go away?
Although the symptoms come and go, bipolar disorder usually
requires lifetime treatment and does not go away on its own
. Bipolar disorder can be an important factor in suicide, job loss, and family discord, but proper treatment leads to better outcomes.
Can bipolar 2 become bipolar?
We found that 42.1% of individuals with cyclothymia or BiNOS progressed to a bipolar II diagnosis (had an onset of at least one MDE and one hypomanic episode) and 10.5% progressed to a bipolar I diagnosis (had an onset of at least one manic or mixed episode) over 4.5 years of follow-up.
Can a bipolar person live without medication?
Bipolar disorder is not curable, but there are many treatments and strategies that a person can use to manage their symptoms. Without treatment, bipolar disorder
may cause unusual mood episodes
. People with the condition may alternate between high periods, called manic episodes, and low periods, or depressive episodes.
What age does bipolar start?
Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it’s diagnosed in
the teenage years or early 20s
. Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms may vary over time.
Does bipolar affect memory?
People with bipolar disorder
often report problems with memory and cognition
. They have trouble with short- and long-term memory, think things through at subdued speeds, and have difficulty thinking outside that so-called box. These memory problems can pose considerable challenges for bipolar patients.
Can bipolar people tell they are bipolar?
So
no, not everyone who has bipolar disorder knows they have it
. There are lots of reasons why someone with bipolar disorder might not realize it—or why they might deny having it even if they do.
Can bipolar turn into schizophrenia?
People with bipolar disorder can also
experience psychotic symptoms during a manic or depressive episode
. These can include hallucinations or delusions. Because of this, people may mistake their symptoms of bipolar disorder for those of schizophrenia.
What triggers bipolar episodes?
- Having a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling, with bipolar disorder.
- Periods of high stress, such as the death of a loved one or other traumatic event.
- Drug or alcohol abuse.
