Manic depressive disorder | Bipolar Affective Disorder

What is an atypical bipolar disorder? It is actually not a term that is used very often. In psychology language it is referred to a diagnosis bipolar disorder nos. Nos stands for ‘not otherwise specified and is used as a diagnosis when the symptoms of a person don’t fit any other diagnosis in the same spectrum.

Every depression, if it is a unipolar depression or a bipolar manic depression, will start with a period of depression. Even a bipolar disorder will always start with a few cycles of depression. Therefore there is always first a diagnosis of depression before there is a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Almost 20% will eventually get a mania or hypomania episode and move to the diagnosis spectrum of bipolar disorder.

There are a few different types of manic depressive disorder. It nis not exactly clear how many different types there are but we must consider it as a continuum. We speak of a bipolar disorder 1 when someone has had different reoccurring episodes of mania without major depressive episodes. Depressive episodes are evident but are not required for a diagnosis bipolar disorder 1.

We speak of bipolar disorder II if the disorder is characterized by hypomanic episodes rather than manic episodes and at least one major depressive episode. The criteria for this disorder is that one should not have had an episode of mania. However, this does not guarantee that this person will not eventually get an episode of mania and therefore another diagnosis. The big difference between mania and hypomania is that a hypomania will not go to the extreme. This period is often seen as a productive period where there is nothing wrong with the person as in a mania someone will feel more than good. He feels great and can not see disadvantages of some of his own actions. The normal functioning in a hypomania makes it very difficult to diagnose a bipolar II disorder.

Cyclothymia is defined by periods of hypomania and depression that is not a major depressive disorder. The hypomania and depressive episode will frequently cycle in episodes. Both will not met the criteria for a mania or a major depressive disorder.

an atypical bipolar disorder or also called bipolar nos is given as a diagnosis when someone fits a bipolar disorder but does fit any of the specific diagnosis mentioned above. Although one is not meeting the criteria for a full diagnosis, this does not mean that these people suffer less or function better than people with another diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Atypical bipolar disorder is often a catch-it-all diagnosis but also a disorder that is very well present.