What do the different categories of bipolar mean?
You are likely to come across diagnoses such as bipolar 1, bipolar 11 or bipolar 111. (Bipolar disorder is simply another name for manic depression.) The categories reflect differences in the severity and duration of episodes of mania or depression. People with less severe mood swings are described as experiencing cyclothymic disorder. You may also hear the term, ‘rapid cycling’ which is used to describe a situation where a person experiences four or more ‘highs’ or ‘lows’ in a year. Swings can be even more frequent; everyone with a diagnosis of bipolar will have their own unique pattern.
