Bipolar Disorder: Types, Statistics & Treatment

Types of Bipolar Disorder

The following are some of the most common variations of this condition:

• Bipolar I: People who have this type of bipolar disorder have the most dramatic transitions from mania to depression, and mood swings can be extreme. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar I depressive episodes normally last at least two weeks. This type of disorder has a high degree of functional impairment, and many of these people need to be hospitalized to ensure their safety.
• Bipolar II: This kind of bipolar disorder is accompanied by less extreme effective swings. Depressive episodes can linger for weeks or months, and they can be followed by episodes of hypomania, a lesser version of mania. While this moderate type of condition may make it easier to function, bipolar II can nevertheless interfere with daily tasks and cause functional impairment.
• Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: This type of bipolar malady is marked by repeated, fast cycling episodes of mania and depression, usually four in a 12-month span. Individuals with various types of bipolar disorder may experience rapid flipping, in which their moods change rapidly. Depression may be more severe during rapid cycle phases, and self-destructive behavior and suicide attempts are more likely.
• Cyclothymia is a mental condition marked by milder depression bouts and hypomania intervals. Depression episodes are usually shorter and less severe than those associated with bipolar I or II.
• Individuals with bipolar illness with mixed characteristics may have symptoms of mania and depression at the same time. For instance, the person may have increased energy, insomnia, and appetite loss, as well as feelings of despair, poor self-worth, and unhappiness.

Symptoms and Effects

Bipolar disorder is difficult to diagnose, particularly in persons who use drugs or alcohol. The dramatic mood fluctuations that this psychiatric disease causes can be similar to the highs and lows that people experience when they are intoxicated or withdrawing from narcotics. Substance misuse, on the other hand, can amplify the highs and lows of bipolar disorder, making it difficult to distinguish whether the mood swings are chemically or mentally driven.

There are two telltale signs of bipolar disorder: depressive and manic symptoms:

• Feelings of inadequacy about one’s own value
• Sorrow and a sense of hopelessness
• An exaggerated perception of significance or authority (grandiosity)
• High levels of vigor and excitement

Bipolar Disorder Statistics

• Many people with bipolar disorder have comorbid health problems, the most prevalent of which are migraines, asthma, and high cholesterol. High blood pressure, thyroid illness, and osteoarthritis were also identified as co-occurring health conditions with a high likelihood. (The British Journal of Psychiatry, 2014)
• Bipolar disorder reduces one’s life expectancy by 9.2 years on average (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017).
• People with bipolar disorder have a high risk of suicide, with 15 percent to 17 percent committing suicide. (Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC))
• Substance use disorders affect up to 60% of patients with any mental health disorder, including bipolar disorder. (Source: WebMD, 2006)

What is the prevalence of bipolar disorder?

• The lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder was estimated to be 2.4 percent in a survey of 11 nations. In this survey, the United States reported a 1% prevalence of bipolar type I, which was significantly higher than many other countries. (Psychopharmacology: Therapeutic Advances, 2018)
• Bipolar disorder affects 46 million people around the world. (2018, Our World in Data)
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) states that 30-50 percent of people with bipolar disorder may develop a comorbid substance abuse problem at some point during their lives.
• An approximated 2.8 percent of persons in the United States are diagnosed with bipolar illness each year (Harvard Medical School, 2007).
• Bipolar illness patients were shown to have the highest risk of being diagnosed as having “severe” impairment of any mood condition (82.9 percent ). (2005, Archives of General Psychiatry)

Bipolar disorder by age group (statistics)

• The average age at which symptoms appear is 25 years old. National Alliance on Mental Illness (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2017)
• As of 2001-2003, those aged 18 to 29 had the highest incidence of bipolar disorder (4.7%), followed by 30- to 44-year-olds (3.5%). 2007 (Harvard Medical School)