Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health condition marked by extreme mood shifts – ranging from manic highs to crushing lows. These shifts go far beyond everyday ups and downs, disrupting your work, relationships, sleep, and quality of life.
Broadly, bipolar disorder falls into two categories – bipolar I and bipolar II. While they share similarities, the intensity and duration of mood episodes differ. Understanding the distinction is essential for proper diagnosis, treatment, and long-term stability.
Understanding the Spectrum of Bipolar Disorder
People with bipolar disorder live with alternating periods of depression and euphoria. These episodes can vary in intensity, duration, and frequency, and they are not always predictable. If you have bipolar disorder, you may appear completely stable most of the time, going weeks, months, or even years between episodes.
Bipolar I
Bipolar I involves the presence of at least one manic episode, preceded or followed by a major depressive episode. The manic phase is intense and can include psychotic symptoms or hospitalization.
For instance, a person with bipolar I may stay up for several nights working on an unrealistically ambitious project, believe they have special powers, and impulsively quit their job – followed by a depressive crash marked by fatigue, apathy, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts.
Manic symptoms:
- Elevated or irritable mood lasting at least one week
- Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
- Decreased need for sleep (e.g., feeling rested after two to three hours)
- Racing thoughts or rapid speech
- Risky behavior (excessive spending, reckless driving, hypersexuality)
- Impulsivity and poor judgment
- In severe cases, delusions or hallucinations
Bipolar II
Bipolar II involves at least one episode of major depressive disorder and one episode of hypomania, which is a less severe form of mania. Hypomania doesn’t include psychotic symptoms and usually doesn’t require hospitalization, but it can still impact your daily life and relationships.
Someone with bipolar II might go through weeks of profound, persistent sadness and emptiness, then experience a few days of feeling unusually confident, productive, and social – but without the dangerous behaviors seen in full mania.
Hypomanic symptoms:
- Elevated mood and increased energy lasting at least four days
- Decreased need for sleep
- Increased talkativeness or distractibility
- Engaging in more activities or feeling unusually productive
- Feelings of euphoria or irritability
How Is Bipolar Disorder Diagnosed?
A mental health professional must evaluate you to diagnose you with bipolar disorder. The process may include:
- A clinical interview to assess your mood patterns, history, and behavior
- Questionnaires or self-assessments
- A review of your family history (bipolar disorder can run in families)
- Ruling out other medical conditions or substance-related causes
Because bipolar symptoms sometimes resemble depression, ADHD, or even anxiety, accurate diagnosis requires time, observation, and a clear pattern of mood episodes.
When Should You Seek Help?
It may be time to get treatment if you experience:
- Intense mood swings that affect your responsibilities, relationships, or daily functioning
- Periods of high energy followed by exhaustion or sadness
- Risky behaviors during emotional highs
- Prolonged episodes of depression
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
Without professional help, these symptoms can worsen over time and lead to severe consequences.
How Palm Springs Behavioral Health Can Help
Palm Springs Behavioral Health provides compassionate, personalized care for people living with bipolar disorder. Our team uses evidence-based methods to support clients through diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management.
- Medication management: Mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants as appropriate
- Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and psychoeducation
- Lifestyle and wellness planning: Helping clients manage sleep, stress, and daily routines
- Support for co-occurring conditions: Including anxiety, PTSD, or psychosis
We create a safe environment where you can gain clarity about your diagnosis, develop healthy coping strategies, and build a stable foundation for the future. Contact us today if you experience bipolar disorder symptoms that make you worry about your wellness.
