Bipolar 2 Depression

Bipolar 2 Depression Can Prove Debilitating In Between Episodes Of Mania.

Bipolar 2 depression is one of the two major symptoms of bipolar 2 disorder, a mental illness characterized by the patient's swing between periods of feeling severely depressed and periods of hypomania, where a false sense of optimism and cheerfulness are exhibited, sometimes to the extreme. Bipolar 2 depression tends to overtake the patient three times as much as the more cherrful periods of mania. Individuals suffering from biopolar 2 depression often exhibit signs of depression for almost a third of every year, ranging from insomnia and feelings of despair to loss of interest in doing even the most elementary everyday routine things. Other symptoms of bipolar 2 depression can include bouts of crying, a loss of energy, extremes in weight loss or weight gain due to dietary changes and feelings of irritibility.

On the opposite side of bipolar 2 depression is a swing to an opposite frame of mind known as hypomania. The bipolar 2 depression gives way to much shorter periods where the individual's mind is racing with ideas, there is a decreased need for rest or sleep, the individual finds it difficult to concentrate, may have feelings of grandeur, along with an excess of energy and a need to talk very loudly and very rapidly. Very often bipolar 2 depression leads to periods of risky behavior because the individual feels invincible and may become reckless while driving, drinking or become uninhibited with members of the opposite sex, leading to unsafe sexual encounters.

Bipolar 2 depression is often much more difficult to diagnose than its counterpart bipolar 1, which is characterized by much more extreme and rapid mood swings than bipolar 2 depression. Individuals with bipolar 2 depression should be diagnosed by a physician in order to receive the proper medication which can help to level out recurring mood swings. Drugs such as deprakote and lithium are two of the most effective and popular medical treatments for bipolar 2 depression as both help to eliminate or at least ease the swings between a lethargic depressed state and the manic energetic state.