Difference Between Bipolar Depression and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar depression is just another name of depression in which patient can easily be diagnosed by a specialist. A specialist usually examines the symptoms of depression present in the patient or ever found in the patient in the past, to make sure the depression is just a simple depression not of the severe form. It is a very critical verdict for the psychiatrists to establish the difference between bipolar depression and bipolar disorder, as both of these forms of depression require different treatments.

Bipolar depression is generally involves sad mood, irritating behavior, you suddenly avoid going to places that you used to enjoy the most, your way of looking at things start changing, you start disliking yourself without any reason, sleeping problems occur. Your mind becomes home for the negative thoughts, suicidal thoughts start taking place into your mind. Women suffer from this type of depression. Bipolar Disorder is also known as Manic Depression, Bipolar Affective Disorder and Manic-Depressive Illness. It is a mood disorder. Almost 1% of the adult population across the world suffers from this disorder. It falls in the category of affective disorders. Women and men both suffer from this type of depression disorder equally unlike other forms of depression where women suffer more.

Bipolar disorder has two types:

1. Bipolar disorder I

2. Bipolar disorder II

Bipolar disorder I

It is known as the classical type of bipolar disorder. It involves long lasting spells of mania followed by long lasting spells of depression. Therefore it is mix of mania and depression. If you experience psychotic symptoms like hallucination and paranoia then it is bipolar disorder I.

Bipolar disorder II

It involves at least one Hypomanic and one major depressive episode. It can be better to call it a mix of hypomania plus depression. People do have misconceptions about Bipolar disorder II and often call it manic episode or cyclothymia. It is not a full blown manic episode or cyclothymia. People suffering from bipolar depression tend to have tremendously low energy, their mind and physical processes seem to retard from usual working, and deep fatigue conditions capture your body. Symptoms of Bipolar depression involve Decreased energy levels, Fatigue conditions, Lethargy (Lethargy is a very serious symptom, it is defined as the drowsiness, torpid or apathetic state of your mind), Almost diminishing activities, Insomnia (sleeping problem, you do not get the proper sleep), Hypersomnia (Oversleeping condition, people may sleep more than 20 hours a day), loss of Interest in entertainment stuff and Social cut off. Symptoms of Bipolar disorder are very dramatic and unpredictable as it has two phases of mood swings that are manic phase and Depressive phase. Manic phase has the symptoms of Excessive talking, elevated thoughts, less amount of sleep, extremely high level of energy, Too much sex, Inflated self boasting and in case of psychotic form of bipolar disorder Hallucination and delusion as well are the symptoms of Bipolar disorder. In case of Depressive phase of bipolar disorder the symptoms are exactly the same as bipolar depression.