Bipolar Disorders

Question 1

Whats the key features in Bipolar type I?

Answer 1

• Meets the criteria to have a manic episode, at least once in a lifetime

-4 symptoms

-Duration of 1 week

-Often followed by a depressive episode (but not always)

Question 2

Whats a manic episode?

Answer 2

-Elevated mood
-Abnormal and persistent increased energy or activity

Question 3

What are the symptoms for manic episode?

Answer 3

-Grandiosity or inflated self-esteem

-Decreased need for sleep

-More talkative or pressure to keep talking

-Flight of ideas, racing thoughts

-Distractibility

-Increase in goal-directed activity

-Painful consequences (buying a lot, drinking more etc)

Question 4

What is a hypomanic episode?

Answer 4

-Same symptoms as manic episode, less “severe”

-4 days and not a week

-3 symptoms need ( 4 if mood is only irritable)

Question 5

What are the key features for Bipolar type II?

Answer 5

-Several major depressive episodes

-Often accompanied with hypomanic episodes (often harder to prove)

Question 6

What are the key features for cyclothymic disorder?

Answer 6

-At least 2 years of symptoms of both hypomanic episodes and MDD episodes, that has not meet the criteria for either diagnosis

-Present for at least half of the 2 years, with periods of 2 months or more symptom free