Comparison of Mood Disorders

Depressive or mood disorder is a term that is used to refer to the underlying or longitudinal disorders. Mood disorders are classified into various categories including elevated mood, depressed mood, and moods that swing between mania and depression. The most common types of mood disorders that cycle between mania and depression are bipolar disorders, which were previously known as manic depression. Bipolar I Disorder and Bipolar II Disorder are two different types of mood disorders that are associated with manic episodes or depressive symptoms. These two kinds of mood disorders have several similarities and differences in addition to being relatively difficult to treat effectively.

Similarities and Differences between Bipolar I and Bipolar II

As previously indicated, bipolar I and bipolar II disorders are two kinds of mood disorders that have become common in the recent past. Each of these mood disorders is defined by pattern or manic or depressive episodes, length, and frequency. One of the similarities between these two mood disorders is that they are both characterized by mood swings and cycling between mania and depressive episodes. This essentially means that manic or depressive episodes are the premise with which an individual can be diagnosed with bipolar I or bipolar II disorder. Secondly, bipolar I and bipolar II disorders have severe symptoms that can disrupt the ability of a patient to work and socialize. This is primarily because these mood disorders can make a patient touch with reality to an extent that he/she is psychotic (Psych Central Staff par, 3). Third, patients who suffer from these conditions may sometimes require hospitalization in order to prevent harming themselves or others. The other similarity is that bipolar I and bipolar II disorders are lifelong illnesses as evidenced in the fact that many patients continue to have symptoms even after receiving treatment for their conditions.

Despite these similarities, there are numerous differences between these two disorders including the fact that bipolar I disorder entails periods of severe mood episodes whereas bipolar II disorder is characterized by mild form of mood elation. Unlike bipolar I whose episodes can move from mania to depression, bipolar II disorder involve mild episodes of hypomania that alternate with severe depression episodes. In addition, bipolar I disorder is diagnosed when an individual has undergone at least a single manic episode whereas bipolar II disorder is diagnosed when an individual has at least one bout of depression and episode of hypomania. Notably, the diagnosis of bipolar I disorder is regardless of whether or not the patient has experienced a previous bout of depression. While bipolar I disorder lasts for at least two weeks and has symptoms like lack of pleasure, bipolar II lasts for at least four days and is associated with observable mood disturbance.

Difficulties in Treating Bipolar I and Bipolar II Disorders