Bipolar I Disorder and Bipolar II Disorder - Essay Example

"Bipolar I Disorder and Bipolar II Disorder" is a controversial example of a paper on the disorder. Bipolar I Disorder pertains to a mood disorder or a form of mental illness characterized by psychosomatic symptoms such as hallucinations or paranoia. A person with Bipolar I disorder experiences at least one manic  or mixed episode while there may emerge episodes of hypomania or depression  as well. An abnormally elevated mood constitutes a manic episode period, and Bipolar I disorder may be observed out of cycling patterns between depression and mania. As a sub-diagnosis  of bipolar disorder, it is observed to follow the original concept of manic-depressive illness. 

On the other hand, Bipolar II Disorder causes frequent encounters with hypomania though no significant manifestations of mixed nor manic episodes can be detected. Being less severe than the other, hypomania is not found to impair an individual's regular psychological functioning, which requires hospitalization. With Bipolar II Disorder, it is possible to acquire a combination of a major depressive episode with at least one hypomanic episode, which is exhibited by a period of departure from a person's typical mood as may be perceived through an elevated and expansive mode of response with indications of persistent irritability. Depressive episodes, in this case, are claimed to occur more often compared to manic episodes, justifying how prone suicide can be committed by people within this range of bipolarity.  

In a major manic episode of Bipolar I Disorder, there is ample chance for patients with major manic episodes to experience both delusions and hallucinations, which are psychotic by nature. Consequently, only Bipolar I Disorder and not Bipolar II Disorder is associated with psychotic features,  which bring about impairment to normal operations daily. Under these circumstances, an individual may suffer from pressured speech, racing thoughts, grandiosity, and the excessive tendency toward dynamic behavior. At certain points, these characteristics intersect those of hypomanic state in Bipolar II disorder, which potentially reflect disorganized racing thoughts, anxiety, and insomnia through these negative symptoms sometimes appear to bear marks that are indistinguishable from those of a depressive condition.  

The somatic cause for Bipolar I symptoms are normally identified via routine medical assessments by which some of the tests conducted are inclusive of head ultrasound, CAT scan, electroencephalogram, full blood count, liver function test and thyroid function test, and thyroid function test. Equivalently, patients are analyzed based on the levels of urea and lithium present and are screened in terms of the degree of exposure to toxins and certain narcotics as well. Lifelong therapy is usually sought to remedy Bipolar I Disorder, and this is carried out using mood-stabilizer in combination with antipsychotic treatment, the chief effect of which is diminished symptoms and reduced susceptibility of suicide threat by eight folds.  

Mood stabilizers are also prescribed for medicating Bipolar II Disorder symptoms. However, such an option may yield a flat effect in the patient, being dose-dependent. Alternatively, SSRI antidepressants may be preferred though this type of treatment must be cautiously administered since available findings demonstrate how it rather aggravates the manic state of some ill subjects. The mixed-use of lithium and lamotrigine may be recommended in instances when either one seems inadequate in overcoming hypomania or depression.