[laauton]

I'm Bipolar two with Schizoaffective Disorder. I took the quiz just for laughs. Her's my problem... how can bipolar 2 be less serious? More people die with Bipolar 2 than with Bipolar 1. This is what the quiz said.

"Based upon your responses to this bipolar disorder quiz, you appear to be suffering from moderate to severe symptoms associated with a bipolar disorder.People who have answered similarly to you typically qualify for a diagnosis of Bipolar I Disorder and have sought professional treatment for this disorder. (You may, however, still fit into the less serious diagnosis of Bipolar II Disorder.)"

[Tosspot]

My guess is the quiz is old. When I was dx'd the pdoc told me bipolar II was less serious (that was 4 years ago) Recently (about a week ago) I read an article saying that Bipolar II has a higher death rate because those with Bipolar II are less likely to be compliant with treatment since the symptoms are so debilitating. The hypomania in Bipolar II is not as "Destructive" as the mania that comes with Bipolar I, so they're less likely to view it as a problem. The quiz looks only at symptoms. Yes, BP II has less severe symptoms, but overall is more dangerous. Quiz should probably be updated. Good catch laauton!

[AniManiac]

Originally Posted by Tosspot

My guess is the quiz is old. When I was dx'd the pdoc told me bipolar II was less serious (that was 4 years ago) Recently (about a week ago) I read an article saying that Bipolar II has a higher death rate because those with Bipolar II are less likely to be compliant with treatment since the symptoms are so debilitating. The hypomania in Bipolar II is not as "Destructive" as the mania that comes with Bipolar I, so they're less likely to view it as a problem. The quiz looks only at symptoms. Yes, BP II has less severe symptoms, but overall is more dangerous. Quiz should probably be updated. Good catch laauton!

How ironic that the version with less severe symptoms has a higher mortality rate! What a bum tradeoff.

Yeah, the "less serious" label REALLY bothers me. The facts just don't back it up. It is said the depressions are even worse. And hello! We spend far more time there! (Speaking in overall stats.) Suicide rates are higher. How on earth can that be "less serious"?! Good grief!

I've got a theory about it. Mania, especially severe, is more "public" so to speak. Out and about, more obvious to a casual observer, sometimes disruptive to social order... like that. So isn't it "obvious" that it's worse? No. Most people just don't see severe depression. We tend to be very isolating for starters. It's out of the public eye. Almost invisible except perhaps to people who live with us. "Out of sight, out of mind" doesn't make something less serious.

Information sources really have no excuse for perpetuating this thinking. What's more, it plays into the general public's perception that "everyone gets depressed" because it's a word in common parlance that does not begin to describe severe states. So again, people get dismissive of it because they don't understand that. It's no wonder really that this state of affairs and mindset exists. Problem is, it's not true.

[~Christina]

Im Bipolar I ...which my Pdoc and T explained to me this way ...

BiPolar I has more manic episodes and more extreme rapid cycling and depression.

Bipolar II can also have both mania and depression..

I think they can " study and write a gazillion papers on the topic ..
My view is Bipolar regardless of the label ....It plain SUCKS !!!

Innerzone I think you sumed it up .. when we all go depressed we isolate and often people dont notice.

The following comes from psycheducation.org, a website that deals primarily with bipolar 2 and the bipolar spectrum:

It's true that hypomania is a milder version of mania -- just how mild, you'll see in a moment. Mind you, Bipolar II is not a milder version of Bipolar I, though it is very often described that way, to my utter dismay. The suicide rate in Bipolar II is the same or higher than the rate for Bipolar I, for example.Dunner So the BP II version is definitely not a "mild" illness. The depression phases are as bad as in BP I, and often more common (that is, they occur more frequently and represent a more dominant part of the person's life).

[sugahorse1]

Yeah, I also assume it's because BP II has more depressive episodes, likely to lead to suicide attempts. That's my experience anyway

I have bipolar 1 and have just as many depressive episodes as manic. I think it's fair to say both forms are equally as dangerous and serious. I don't really like these dividing lines. And as far as I can see from articles, they are near or the same as far as risks. There is no doubt in my mind that bipolar II is just as serious as bipolar I and vice versa.

I've read numerous studies that show that suicide risk is actually greatest during a mixed episode which as far as I can tell from the posts here that is something both types experience.

Also I am more suicidal when I am manic or mixed than when depressed. I'm positive I am not alone in this. I dont think mania should be passed off as safe when it comes to suicide risk, I have only been hospitalized or near hospitalized when in a manic or mixed manic state. Maybe psychosis plays a role here. I have two failed attempts.

[sillyfab]

Originally Posted by laauton

I'm Bipolar two with Schizoaffective Disorder. I took the quiz just for laughs. Her's my problem... how can bipolar 2 be less serious? More people die with Bipolar 2 than with Bipolar 1. This is what the quiz said.

"Based upon your responses to this bipolar disorder quiz, you appear to be suffering from moderate to severe symptoms associated with a bipolar disorder.People who have answered similarly to you typically qualify for a diagnosis of Bipolar I Disorder and have sought professional treatment for this disorder. (You may, however, still fit into the less serious diagnosis of Bipolar II Disorder.)"

I got the same result, laauton. I think it sucks that it hasn't been updated with more relevant and current information.

[Tosspot]

Ok, so i checked. the quiz is from 1993. That's almost 20 years ago. Clearly new research has been done!!

[dillpickle1983]

Originally Posted by Anika

I have bipolar 1 and have just as many depressive episodes as manic. I think it's fair to say both forms are equally as dangerous and serious. I don't really like these dividing lines. And as far as I can see from articles, they are near or the same as far as risks. There is no doubt in my mind that bipolar II is just as serious as bipolar I and vice versa.

I've read numerous studies that show that suicide risk is actually greatest during a mixed episode which as far as I can tell from the posts here that is something both types experience.

Also I am more suicidal when I am manic or mixed than when depressed. I'm positive I am not alone in this. I dont think mania should be passed off as safe when it comes to suicide risk, I have only been hospitalized or near hospitalized when in a manic or mixed manic state. Maybe psychosis plays a role here. I have two failed attempts.

That is just like me. To a T. However I cycle thru moods, faster than one can blink their eye. One hour I'm fine, the next hour I'm angry filled with rage, the next hour depressed and suicidal. I have 3 failed attempts, 2 of the 3 times I realized I messed up and went to the ER, the third time my best friend found me and got me help.

Originally Posted by chandlerT660

That is just like me. To a T.

It must be because we both have pugs in our signatures.

[Rosie23]

Originally Posted by morethingswrong

Im Bipolar I ...which my Pdoc and T explained to me this way ...

BiPolar I has more manic episodes and more extreme rapid cycling and depression.

Bipolar II can also have both mania and depression..

I think they can " study and write a gazillion papers on the topic ..
My view is Bipolar regardless of the label ....It plain SUCKS !!!

Innerzone I think you sumed it up .. when we all go depressed we isolate and often people dont notice.

The information available everywhere is conflicting. I know I am Bipolar I but then you read other articles and it tosses your symptoms in Bipolar II. And some days I think that nobody knows which is which. And in the end we only have our own common sense to rely on.
But I agree...it plain SUCKS!!

[DocJohn]

Thanks for the feedback; the quiz has been fixed to reflect the proper differentiation between the two disorders.

There is indeed a lot of misinformation and confusion between the two disorders. The reality is that there isn't a clear solid line that classifies as a person as one or the other.

The main symptom list for the two disorders is exactly the same.

The main differentiation is that bipolar II hypomanic episodes can be of a shorter duration (4 days instead of a week), a person has not experienced a hospitalization due to their hypomanic episode, there is no marked occupational or social functioning (e.g., the person can still go to work, even while in the midst of a hypomanic episode), and there's no psychotic features present.

Sorry to add to the confusion with the quiz wording.

DocJohn

[BlackPup]

Don't get me started on this particular rant.....
the hypomania is less serious but the depression is worse and substantially longer....