Bipolar I disorder is characterized by cycles of extreme manic episodes like mood swings ranging from psychosis to anxiety. Bipolar II disorder is a relatively mild type of manic episodes like mood elevation, characterized by gentler cycles of hypomania and cycles of extreme anxiety. Bipolar disorder, also known as bipolar depression, is a severe mental illness marked by abrupt and decisive changes in mood, behaviour, and intensity levels. A manic episode is described as a time of unnaturally elevated or irritable mood, excessive energy, racing thoughts, and other extreme and intensified behaviours that last for many days or weeks. Bipolar disorders share the history of extremely depressive manic episodes and mild manic episodes symptoms, but not the full-fledged manic episodes, which characterizes Bipolar II Disorder.
Bipolar illness with either extreme or mild manic episodes, like drug abuse, puts a person’s physical and mental health at threat. Relationship issues, economic hardship, accidental trauma, and suicide are all more common in people with bipolar disorder than those in the overall community. They are also slightly very prone to establish an opioid or alcohol dependence.
Unlike bipolar I illness, which is marked by the extreme level of manic episodes, bipolar II disorder is characterized by depressive and mild manic episodes that occur in stages. It’s one of the most often diagnosed cases of bipolar disorder, and it can make it impossible for patients to have stable and supportive relationships or succeed at work.
Patients also resort to medications and alcoholism in an effort to self-medicate their manic episodes. This has the unintended consequence of negatively affecting the patient’s experience, sometimes resulting in problems such as:
- Intensification of mood disorders symptoms
- Manic episodes occur in more regular periods
- Time consumed in each state for more extended periods of time
As per the NIMH, bipolar disorder affects more than four percent of all people in the United States at any point in their life. Although both individuals may have the same condition, their signs of manic episodes may be vastly unique. Any patients with bipolar disorder, for example, manic episodes like stressed much of the time. Others experience mild manic episodes as well as depressive manic episodes symptoms. Standard peaks and downs occur with all, but bipolar disorder is distinct. The spectrum of mood shifts can be very broad. A person experiencing a manic episode can feel very joyful, irritable, or “up,” and their activity level will significantly increase. Depressive manic episodes are characterized by feelings of sadness, indifference, or hopelessness, as well as a low degree of behaviour. Hypomanic or mild manic episodes, which are similar to manic episodes that are less serious and troublesome, affect certain individuals.
The main conclusion that researchers have established about whether substance misuse and bipolar illness occur more often with some psychological issues is that these conditions have much of the same risk factors. Individuals who are subject to some types of physical or sexual assault earlier in life, for instance, are more likely to experience a psychiatric disorder and drug and alcohol addiction. In all cases, depression is a significant cause. Some people may experience a mental disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder, at the very exact moment they begin consuming drugs or alcohol, simply by chance depending upon the self, extraordinary life, and household backgrounds.
Manic attacks can be terrifying, and relatives are often called upon to support their loved ones with getting through them without causing long-term injury. The positive side is that if bipolar II manic episodes and alcohol misuse are co-occurring, medication will be highly successful in helping people handle both. For more details, please contact us today. Few people with bipolar disorder can have less severe symptoms than others. Mild manic episodes, for example, can make a person feel really comfortable and positive, and they may not believe something is wrong with them. Family and associates, on the other hand, may note mood fluctuations and variations in activity levels as out of the ordinary behaviour, and extreme manic episodes may accompany moderate or mild manic episodes’ periods.
Signs and Symptoms of Bipolar II Mental Illness
While it’s common to feel anxiety or sorrow from time to time, and also mood swings marked by extreme energy and deep concentrating, these episodic mood swings are severe in reality and appear in an uncontrollable cycle for bipolar II disorder patients. The following are the two manic episodes that characterize bipolar II:
- Depressive manic episodes are common. A depressive episode is characterized as a continuous period of depression, despair, and lack of interest in participating in life which persists for at least two weeks. Patients also report feeling tired, nervous, irritated, distracted, uncertain, and suicidal.
- Mild manic episodes are a form of mania. Hypomanic symptoms are less severe than full-blown depressive episodes and are characterized by feelings of intense productivity and happiness; individuals often believe they are in the elevated mode of performance. During these times, many patients believe nothing is different; however, family members may note a difference in their beloved one’s behaviour.
Since the mild manic episodes pass untreated or are viewed as natural by the individual and thus not troublesome, bipolar II is sometimes mistaken as a depressive disorder. Hypomanic symptoms may progress to full-blown extreme manic episodes or extreme depression if not treated.
Bipolar II Mental Illness Affects People?
There is no clear, apparent cause of bipolar II disorder; in most circumstances, a combination of reasons is thought to be at work. Genetic factors can be one of the most influential. Bipolar II disorders are more likely to run in households. According to a survey conducted in the American Journal of Psychiatry, forty percent of those with very close family and friends identified with bipolar II disorder. Twenty-two percent of those with the very next family and friends confirmed with bipolar I disorder were confirmed with bipolar II. Just one patient was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder for people with very close family and friends who had bipolar II disorder, making bipolar II the most often diagnosed form of bipolar disorder.
While no correlative causes have been confirmed, specific reports show a connection between some pre-birth issues and a subsequent diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Often, the culture and lifestyle may play a role, and others suggest that if genes are a factor, symptoms may not appear until a causing condition similar to trauma occurs.
Co-Occurring Condition of Addiction and Bipolar Mental Illness
If patients misuse medications and substances to self-medicate the bipolar II mental manic episodes or their drug addiction predates their psychological problems, they must seek care at a Dual Diagnosis treatment facility that provides scientific proof-based clinical and pharmacological treatments tailored to each patient’s specific rehabilitation preferences.
You may have a co-occurring condition of bipolar disorder and drug dependence if you have bipolar disorder and an addiction. A Dual Diagnosis, also known as a co-occurring condition, may make treatment more difficult. Bipolar people may have cycles of depressive state interspersed with bursts of elevated excitement and an overinflated ego. This mental dysfunction will cause problems in your rehabilitation process, making it impossible to stick to your therapy plan’s recommendations.
According to some reports of N.I.D.A, about 50 to 60 percent of victims with substance dependence also develop a mental illness. We know that drug addiction itself is a disease; when a victim develops another disease with addiction, it is called a co-occurring state of disorders.
An individual with more than one disorder, like having mental health issues and any substance addiction simultaneously, is said to suffer from a co-occurring disorder. This situation is additionally seldom called a dual-diagnosis. The disorders in dual diagnosis can make each other severe with time. The co-occurring disorders can be from the same family of disorders, or one can be from one family and another, as an individual suffering from a mental health disorder like Schizophrenia and drug addiction. Another individual is suffering from a bipolar mental health condition and alcohol addiction. All these cases are called co-occurring mental health disorders. It is believed that an individual who is the victim of one of the mental health disorders will get at least one more disorder like an addiction (in many cases), low energy, bipolar disorder, etc.
So, now we understand the danger of co-occurring disorders and the leading causes behind them. Now, let us discuss treatments available in the facilities for these disorders at the same time. Professionals first understand the similarity level of the diseases and then take actions according to the measurement.
One hypothesis indicates that psychiatric disorders can worsen due to misuse of some medicines. For example, marijuana was found to contribute to hysteria. It applies to cocaine, study after study found that the influence of cocaine in the human mind. This drug causes a negative impact on the human brain capacity to spontaneously generate sensations of satisfaction, which can contribute negatively to anxiety in certain people.
Another hypothesis about the connection between psychological disease and substance addiction is that people who also have a mental condition are more likely to become addicted to the substance. Individual people take medications to get rid of manic episodes and to start feeling better, according to the definition of self-medication. Mostly on the ground, one may wonder if there is something wrong with that kind of activity. If a person feels happier and performs better due to their substance abuse if the medications are administered by a doctor or accessed somehow, why should they not proceed to do it anyway? Regrettably, administering drugs with severe conditions, like psychiatric disorders, is a highly skilled task.
Whatever form of psychological illness can exist side by side with drug and alcohol abuse, all conditions must be handled concurrently. Assume that a person who uses Xanax to medicate manic episodes condition personally establishes dependency on the drug. They pursue care for the abuse and stop taking the substance while in a psychiatric centre. You should feel protected when being looked after and ultimately finished. Nevertheless, as they go back to their daily lives, they can revert to their fear before taking medicines and get them to partake in almost the same self-medication behaviours.
Keep in mind there are two types of addiction. Substance or Chemical Addiction: addiction to any kind of substance like alcohol, marijuana, and pain killer tablets and pills. Behavioural addiction: uncontrolled behaviours which are concurrent and occur more than one time a day. Like inactiveness, self-harming behaviour, etc.
Naturally, a correct diagnosis of manic episodes is critical for receiving medication. When you or somebody you know has to cope with dependency, ensure that you pursue a specialized rehab facility to recognize and handle dual diagnosis disorders as soon as possible through a rigorous screening procedure. Please email us right now to help you get the treatment you want if you have any questions. Feel like you (or somebody you adore) placed your decisions or somebody else at risk? Do you face legal problems due to your addictive behaviour? Are you taking unhealthy chances with your substance abuse? If so, then it could be necessary to go and get assistance. Contact us 24/7. Via this, we are all here to speak to everyone.
Consult our admission coordinators to find the perfect recovery plan for your beloved one’s mild or extreme manic episodes now. Contact us at 615-490-9376
Ben Lesser is one of the most sought-after experts in health, fitness and medicine. His articles impress with unique research work as well as field-tested skills. He is a freelance medical writer specializing in creating content to improve public awareness of health topics. We are honored to have Ben writing exclusively for Dualdiagnosis.org.