Bipolar disorder is a type of mood disorder that causes individuals to feel extremely high or low levels of emotion at any given time. This condition is much more than a common mood swing, with symptoms lasting up to several weeks or months.
There are several unique types of bipolar that are differentiated by their individual characteristics and patterns of behavior. Bipolar II is among the most common types of bipolar disorder.
How Bipolar II Is Different from Bipolar I
Individuals diagnosed with bipolar II typically experience repeated depressive episodes in addition to hypomanic periods. Hypomanic is a term used to describe a less-intense version of the highly elevated “up” moments that are associated with bipolar I.
Rather than reaching this high level of mania that is seen in those with bipolar I, persons with bipolar II more commonly experience hypomanic episodes. These hypomanic periods are fairly rare, as most individuals with bipolar II will only encounter 1 or 2 in their entire lifetime.
In place of these intense manic episodes are periods of severe depression. These depressive symptoms can often lead to misdiagnosis of a patient’s condition, especially if the person has never reached a state of mania before.
Treating Bipolar II Using Telepsychiatry
Many wonder how effective telepsychiatry services can be in the diagnosis and ongoing treatment of mental health disorders, and just as many can be surprised to find how incredibly convenient and easy it is to work with a specialist through the use of modern technologies like video chat.
Most often, an individual will be diagnosed with a mental illness prior to receiving specialized care from Park Psychological Services. Once it is determined that additional support and maintenance is needed from a psychiatrist, patients frequently find themselves in a holding period as they wait to get a session scheduled with their new provider. It can also be quite difficult for patients to find a psychiatrist that is close by, and many will need to block off a significant amount of time in the day to travel to their psychiatrist’s office.
To avoid missing valuable time at work or at home with your loved ones, Park Psychological Services offers the ultimate convenience and flexibility to those in search of quality psychiatric care. Whether your needs pertain specifically to bipolar II, or any number of other mental illnesses, our team is ready to start working with you immediately to get your symptoms under control.
To learn more about our online and in-office services, or to schedule an appointment, please contact Park Psychology Services today!
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-2-disorder#1 https://www.healthline.com/health/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-1-vs-bipolar-2 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319280.php