Bipolar II Disorder

A person with bipolar II will have at least one cycle of depression in their lives, showing all or some of the symptoms in their behavior. Depression symptoms can last for weeks or months. Here is a list of symptoms below.

- Loss of enjoyment in activities and hobbies
- Low energy levels
- Feeling of guilt and of worthlessness
- Increased need for sleep
- Thoughts of suicide
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Increase or loss of appetite
- Sudden changes in weight.

If you feel that you exhibit any of these symptoms, please contact your doctor immediately!

What makes hypomania different from full-blown mania that people with bipolar I experience is that people with II don't usually get the delusional aspect. People with bipolar I usually develop and psychosis that is related to their mania, such as hallucinations and paranoia. People with bipolar II experience some or all of they symptoms of hypomania below.

- Jumping rapidly from one thought to the next
- Loud and rapid speech
- Increased energy
- Impulsive behavior
- Engaging in risky behavoir
- Increase in spending
- Irritability
- Creative Thinking
- Feeling of euphoria
- Poor judgement

If you are experiencing these symptoms, please call your doctor!

A person with bipolar II disorder needs to have consistent treatment. Patients are usually treated through the rest of their lives. Many control their diagnosis with medication. There are many medications available to patients that treat depression and hypomania. Usually, medications are prescribed through a psychiatrist, and he or she will make the determination which one is best for you and which combination of medication is proper.

It is also a good idea to have a counselor, either a licensed practicing social worker with training in mental disorders, a nurse practitioner with a specialization in mental disorders, or even a psychologist. This is a great support option and useful tool in your treatment because it's good for you to talk to someone about your feelings and what's going on in your life. Sometimes he or she can recognize symptoms you do not. They also may work closely with a psychiatrist and may be able to coordinate your treatment together.

Support groups are another great way to find help in conjunction with regular treatment. Many groups offer education and times to share what's going on in your life. Besides, it's good to connect with others with your disease to learn that you are not alone! You usually can find groups by looking in your local newspaper or by contacting your local United Way office.

Sometimes, your symptoms are not manageable and you need to further care and supervision, and that's when you contact your doctor to see if you need to be hospitalized. Extreme depression or maybe even extreme hypomania may warrant this, but this is best decided by either your doctor or other medical personnel.

One note about hospitalization: have a plan of action ready before you go, meaning have instructions written up for a loved one to follow. Include where you'd like to be taken, your psychiatrist, your family doctor, your diagnosis, a list of medications, and define who is able to make decisions for you if you are not able to make them for yourself. It is also a good idea to have this information on a card in your wallet in the case of an emergency.

Probably the best insight I can give into bipolar II disorder is to give my personal account of living with it. I was diagnosed at age 29 by a counselor I had been seeing for a a couple of years. It was sort of an eye-opener because it finally explained what I had been feeling all my life: really low lows, and time of mild hyperactivity.

I am very prone to depression, mostly becoming tired, listless, irritable, and just plain sad. These bouts can last for weeks at a time. I tend to sleep a lot, not care about my physical appearance, and become extremely hopeless. The extreme feeling of emptiness inside. Still, I have those hypomanic times when I am out shooting photos more than usual, great ideas are flowing, and I tend to spend a little bit more money than I should.

It is still worth noting that both types of bipolar disorder are mood disorders. I do get moody, everybody does at times, but that doesn't mean everyone is bipolar! My moods tend to be, well, more extreme. If I get sad, I may get depressed. If I get angry, I may get angry to the point of being irrational, complete with screaming ad shouting. If I get happy, I may get really excited and want to tell you anything and everything about what's going on.

As a child, I was extremely emotional, and still am. I still would get depressed, and very excitable at times. I remember one time I just started crying for no reason at Christmas. I was wearing a pretty pink dress, everyone was happy, and people were telling me I had no reason to cry. And I really didn't, to be honest, but, as I recalled the incident to my counselor, she said that all the excitement probably overwhelmed me, as it does today.

Another symptom that many bipolar people have is that they cannot focus on one thing at a time, and I really do. Everything going on around me, they hear. Every conversation in a crowd, every noise, some of us do not have the ability to filter things out. This makes being in a large crowd very difficult. Not everyone experiences this, but I sure do. I have recently learned that this is also due Attention Deficient Disorder (ADD), which I have also been diagnosed with. Many bipolar people do have this disorder as well.

I control my disorder with medication and counseling. It makes life much easier and I am proud to say that I have long times of stability. My treatment has worked very well, but it took a long time to get to that point. If you are starting treatment, don't expect quick results, but work at. It will be well worth it in the long. I know, I've been there!

I hope this help you understand a little bit more what it's like for a person with bipolar II disorder. Please leave a message in the Feedback section if you have any questions or comments.