Bipolar II Disorder

On this page:
Signs & symptoms
Treatment options
Print resources
Online resources

Before you read this fact sheet you may want to read our fact sheet on bipolar disorder first.

Bipolar II disorder is a form of bipolar disorder where mood swings from mild mania (hypomania) to severe depression. It is characterized by one or more depressive episodes accompanied by at least one hypomanic episode.

Hypomania can make bipolar II disorder difficult to diagnose. In a recent U.S. survey, nearly seven out of ten people with bipolar disorder identified that they have been misdiagnosed at least once and 60% of those people had been diagnosed with depression.

For some people, hypomania does not cause noticeable problems socially or at work, but for others it can be troublesome. Left undiagnosed, bipolar II disorder can escalate to more severe episodes of mania or decline to severe states of depression.

Personal voices
"I felt great when I was manic. Everything seemed clearer and I got so much more done in a day. It was hard to stay on my medication because it took that edge off my performance but when I went off it I would fall into a depression that dragged me down into an abyss. It's been really hard to find a balance between the two." Susan, 36

Signs and symptoms

Hypomania

You may be experiencing hypomania if you have had periods of several days where your mood is especially energetic or irritable and/or you:

Feel unusually confident
Need less sleep
Are unusually talkative
Have thoughts that come and go faster than usual
Are more easily distracted or have trouble concentrating
Are more goal-directed at work, school or home
Are more involved in pleasurable or high-risk activities, such as spending or sex
Feel like you're doing or saying things that are unlike your usual self

Depression

Sad mood
Preoccupation with failures or inadequacies and a loss of self-esteem
Feelings of uselessness, hopelessness, excessive guilt
Slowed thinking, forgetfulness, difficulty in concentrating and in making decisions
Loss of interest in work, hobbies, people
Social isolation
Lethargy
Agitation/Irritability
Changes in appetite or weight (eating too little or too much)
Changes in sleep (sleeping too little or too much)
Decreased sexual drive
Suicidal thoughts

Treatment options

Because the hypomania of bipolar II disorder can be so mild, it is often overlooked and mistaken in the workplace as ambition, overachievement and/or productivity. The depression of bipolar II disorder is easier to identify and this is often what is reported or noticed first. For this reason, many people with bipolar II disorder are misdiagnosed with depression and prescribed antidepressants.

It is important to know that certain antidepressants can trigger manic/rapid cycling episodes in people who have bipolar II disorder. This can lead to destructive behaviour and an increased risk for suicide. If you are seeking treatment, it is very important to discuss any symptoms of mania or any family history of bipolar disorder with your health care practitioner.

For a list of places where you can get treatment and/or find a doctor, click here.

If you aren't sure where to begin, you can learn more about your choices and figure out which treatments might be best for you. To learn more click here.

Print resources

A Brilliant Madness by Patty Duke and Gloria Hochman. New York : Bantam Books, 1992.
A Mood Apart: Depression, Mania, and Other Afflictions of the Self by Peter C. Whybrow, M.D. Basic Books, 1997.
An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison. New York : Random House, 1995.
Mood Genes: Hunting for Origins of Mania and Depression by Samuel W. Barondes, M.D. New York, W.H. Freeman and Co, 1998.
Skywriting by Jane Pauley. Random House, 2004.

Online resources

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder: a Guide for Patients and Families, Kahn/Keck/Perlis/Otto/Ross (2004). http://www.psychguides.com/Bipolar%20Handout.pdf

Canmat 2005 Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Bipolar Disorder: Consensus and Controversies (June 2005 - Vol. 7, Issue s3, Page 5-88) http://www.canmat.org/resources/bipolar/index.html

PsychEducation.org: Mood Swings But Not Manic
http://www.psycheducation.org

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
www.dbsalliance.org

The Mood Disorders Society of Canada
www.mooddisorderscanada.ca

Bipolar Screening Tool
Another mood disorder screening tool provided courtesy of Eli Lilly Canada and Formedic Communications. Download the PDF version now.

Personal Diary - Mood Tracker
This diary helps you track your symptoms over time. It will provide you and your doctor with a better idea of how your treatment is managing your symptoms. The information obtained from mood tracking is valuable in helping to determine whether your medication has had an effect on your mood. Click here to download a printable copy.

Sources