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Bipolar spectrum
disorder |
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Bipolar disorder is a Mood disorder which affects a
large number of people around the world. Due to the complexity of the
symptoms involved and different manifestations in those who are
suffering from the disorder, the American Psychiatric Association has
provided specific outlines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders for the entire spectrum of Bipolar disorder, also
known as the Bipolar Spectrum disorder. The Bipolar Spectrum disorder
is the entire range of Bipolar disorders including Bipolar I, Bipolar
II and Cyclothymia. The difference amongst all three is the intensity
and frequency of manic and depressive episodes experienced by the
person. Bipolar I disorder is considered by the DSM-IV-TR as the most
severe form of this mood disorder. The criteria for this Bipolar
Spectrum disorder is one or more manic or mixed (manic and depressive
together) episodes which may or may not be accompanied by major
depressive episodes. This is a serious condition because the manic
episode as well as the depressive episodes are severe and can have
debilitating effects on the person's life and hamper normal
functioning. Symptoms may include hallucinations and delusions (which
are a feature only of Bipolar I) which are signs of psychosis. Other
symptoms (of mania) include reduced sleep, pressured speech, racing
thoughts, increased impulsivity, risk taking behaviours, poor
judgement, hyper-activity etc. Symptoms of
depression include low
levels of energy and lethargy, increased irritability, increased sleep,
reduced appetite, uncontrollable crying, suicidal ideation etc. Bipolar
II disorder is the next level of intensity in the Bipolar Spectrum
disorder. To meet the criteria, the person has had to have one or more
Major Depressive episodes accompanied by at least one Hypomanic
episode. The important thing here is that the episode is Hypomanic
which means that it is not as severe as mania and does not include
psychotic features of delusions and hallucinations. In Bipolar II there
is no mixed episode occurring. The symptoms include the ones for
depression like decreased energy, weight loss or gain, irritability,
despair etc. Those for Hypomania include hyper-activity, reduced sleep,
easy distractibility, reckless behaviour like excessive spending or
inappropriate sexual acts etc. Since the symptoms of Bipolar II are
very similar to Bipolar I, the biggest diagnostic difference is that
the hypomania in Bipolar II does not cause significant impairment in
functioning or require hospitalisation. The third level of the Bipolar
Spectrum disorder is called Cyclothymia. This is a long term condition
in which the person experiences both hypomania and a less severe form
of depression in an almost cyclical manner. While there are symptoms of
hypomania and depression there is no psychosis (delusions and
hallucinations) and there is also the absence of suicidal ideations.
The symptoms of cyclothymia are also not totally incapacitating.
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