Diagnosing Bipolar II Disorder

It's often more difficult for a physician to diagnose bipolar disorder when it is Bipolar II. The symptoms aren't as clear-cut as with Bipolar I. Even so, doctors have standards they follow when diagnosing Bipolar II Disorder.

Although there are times when a doctor makes an incorrect diagnosis, it should be remembered that some symptoms of mental illness overlap making it hard to identify the disorder one hundred percent accurately each time.

There are also several types of bipolar disorder, and Bipolar II doesn't always have an obvious patholgy until a longer period of time has passed, often a year or more.

The different types of bipolar disorder include Bipolar I, Bipolar II, cyclothymia and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. Some also consider mixed bipolar disorder, but this is a combination of the moods mania and depression and can happen with any type of bipolar disorder. There is another type, Bipolar III, which is medication-induced bipolar disorder, but many doctors believe the medication just brings out an already present predisposition.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme highs and lows in mood. With Bipolar II, the mood swings aren't as high, with the manic phase being labeled hypomania, as it is not full-blown mania in most cases. The person with Bipolar II could just seem happy-go-lucky with an always-optimistic attitude. It's often not until the depression hits that Bipolar II is even considered.

The guidelines a physician must follow when diagnosing mental illness can be found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This guide is updated frequently as more information is learned about mental illness. For types of bipolar disorder, mood swings and lifestyle habits are used to make a diagnosis, based on the severity of symptoms, length of time each symptom is present and how often these symptoms occur. As noted above, an overly positive attitude isn't always an indication of Bipolar II disorder, but when coupled with bouts of depression it can be a good indicator.

Diagnosing Bipolar II disorder isn't always difficult, and by being completely open and honest with your physician, your doctor can make a more accurate diagnosis.

RESOURCE:

http://www.psych.org/mainmenu/research/dsmiv.aspx