bipolar II disorder

1. an affective disorder characterized by the occurrence of alternating hypomanic and major depressive episodes.

2. a DSM diagnosis that is established when the specified criteria are met.

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

bipolar disorder

A mental condition characterised by episodic mania (euphoria) alternating with bouts of depression, which affects 1% of the general population. Bipolar disorder (BD) is the term used by the American Psychiatric Association, and is an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of clinical subtypes. The synonym manic-depressive disorder is still popular.

Epidemiology
BD first appears by age 30; half of patients have 2–3 episodes during life, each from 4–13 months in duration.

Clinical findings
Mood swings in BD may be dramatic and rapid, but more often are gradual; manic episodes are characterised by disordered thought, judgment and social behaviour; unwise business or financial decisions may be made when an individual is in a manic phase.

Management
Lithium prevents or attenuates manic and depressive episodes, maintained at 0.8–1.0 mmol/L; if the manic episode is unresponsive, electroconvulsive therapy may be effective.

Bipolar disorder, DSM-IV subtypes
Bipolar I disorder—characterised by an occurrence of one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes, and one or more major depressive episodes, and an absence of episodes better accounted for by schizoaffective, delusional or psychotic disorders.

Bipolar II disorder—recurrent major depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes, characterised by one or more major depressive episodes, one or more hypomanic episodes, and an absence of manic or mixed episodes or other episodes better accounted for by schizoaffective, delusional or psychotic disorders. Bipolar II patients suffer from greater psychomotor agitation, guilt, shame and suicidal ideation, attempts and success.

Demographics
0.5% prevalence in the general population; a familial tendency; more common in women.

Mortality
10–15% die from suicide

Cyclothymia—a mild form of bipolar II disorder, consisting of recurrent mood disturbances between hypomania and dysthymic mood. A single episode of hypomania is sufficient to diagnose cyclothymia, but most people with it also have dysthymic periods. The diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder is not made if there is a history of mania or major depressive episode or mixed episode.

Bipolar disorder, NOS (Sub-threshold bipolar disorder)—bipolar disorder, NOS, is a waste-paper basket category used to indicate bipolar illness that does not fit into any of the above three formal DSM-IV bipolar diagnostic categories. The patient is so labeled if he or she manifests part of the bipolar spectrum symptoms (e.g. some manic and depressive symptoms) but does not meet the criteria for one of the above subtypes.

bipolar disorder

Bipolar disease, bipolar illness, manic-depressive disease/illness, manic depression Psychiatry A condition characterized by episodic mania-euphoria, alternating with bouts of depression, which affects 1% of the general population; BD first appears by age 30;¹⁄₂ of Pts have 2-3 episodes during life, each from 4-13 months in duration Clinical Mood swings in BD may be dramatic and rapid, but more often are gradual; manic episodes are characterized by disordered thought, judgment, and social behavior, unwise business or financial decisions may be made when an individual is in a manic phase Treatment Lithium; if manic episode is unresponsive, electroconvulsive therapy may be effective

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar I disorder: is characterized by a occurrence of one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes, and one or more major depressive episodes, and an absence of episodes better accounted for by schizoaffective, delusional, or psychotic disorders
Bipolar II disorder: Recurrent major depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes Bipolar II is characterized by one or more major depressive episodes, one or more hypomanic episodes, and an absence of manic or mixed episodes or other episodes better accounted for by schizoaffective, delusional, or psychotic disorders

Famous manic-depressives: Paul Gauguin, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Hesse, Gustav Mahler, Edgar Allan Poe, Franz Schubert, Mark Twain, Vincent van Gogh, Tennessee Williams, Virginia Woolf.

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References in periodicals archive

Patients over 18 years of age with a well-established diagnosis of bipolar II disorder according to DSM-IV-TR criteria (21,22), who had remained clinically stable for at least the last month were recruitet.

Sintomas depresivos subsintomaticos en trastorno bipolar II: un estudio de cohorte de servicios de salud comunitarios

The less intense elevated moods in bipolar II disorder are called hypomania.

Everyone can get through depression; CHARITY APPLAUDS WELSH STAR

Last week, Zeta Jones's publicist confirmed that the 41-year-old Oscar winner had received mental health treatment, saying: "After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the decision to check into a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her bipolar II disorder.

Opening up over bipolar disorder; Many suffer like movie star Catherine Zeta

A relationship between bipolar II disorder and borderline personality disorder?

Differential diagnosis of borderline personality disorder from bipolar disorder

Bipolar II disorder (hereafter referred to simply as bipolar) can be better understood and addressed by applying appropriate psychological principles.

Even keeled: a practical approach to living with someone with bipolar II disorder

Based on the survey, the authors reached lifetime estimates of 1% for bipolar I disorder; 1.1% for bipolar II disorder; and 2.4% for subthreshold bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder more common

They found, consistent with previous research, that roughly 1% of ECA respondents met criteria for bipolar I disorder and another 0.5% for bipolar II disorder. They then examined additional ECA respondents who they defined as subsyndromal bipolar cases if they had at least two lifetime manic or hypomanic symptoms below the threshold of at least one-week duration.

Considering the costs of bipolar depression: more research is needed on the impact of untreated bipolar depression on society

The authors first introduce the NURSE model of assessment, then describe maternity blues, postpartum psychosis, bipolar II disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder caused by childbirth, and screening methods.

Postpartum mood and anxiety disorders; a clinician's guide

Lifetime prevalence rates in various countries for bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, bipolar spectrum disorder and schizophrenia were identified from population-based epidemiological studies that used similar methods.

Nutraceuticals research

Children with bipolar II disorder cycle between depressed mood and hypomania.

Rapid cycling common in pediatric bipolar cases: between depression and hypomania

There are a number of disorders in the bipolar spectrum, including bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and cyclothymia.

Bipolar disorder and alcoholism

Milder episodes of mania that alternate with depression are called bipolar II disorder. There is no single cause of this illness but rather a combination of factors produce the illness.

Bipolar Disorder