hello my names fizzy and iam floating on this sea of bi-polar the world looks pretty non -pretty at the moment, ive got the emotional flu that comes along and stays, iam using all my flares up.
something puzzles me ive seen on the internet that the bi-polar spectrum goes from 1 to 6 whats bi-polar 6 can anyone tell me, oh well iam floating off the waves are taking me somewhere at this point dont care, fizzy
I have trouble writing a short post, I’d rather give “too much” information than “not enough.”
The idea of the Bipolar Spectrum is still under a lot of debate. The DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, version 4) is the official publication of the American Psychiatric Association. It recognizes the following types of Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar Disorder I, Bipolar Disorder II, Cyclothymia, and Bipolar Disorder NOS (Not other specified). This NOS category for pdocs to lump all those other people they believe have some sort of bipolar disorder, but who don’t fit into the 3 other categories.
The concept of the Bipolar spectrum is becoming popular, but it is still not the “official” description of types of Bipolar Disorder in the DSM. One group of doctor may say one thing aout the details of the spectrum, another may say something else. But the general concept is the same.
Here’s my interpretation of what I’ve read. I don’t think it’s WRONG in any specific way, but could too simplistic for a complicated idea.
The Bipolar Spectrum concept looks at it differently than the DSM. I can’t go into a lot of detail, because I don’t know much. Generally, the spectrum is thought to contain 5 or 6 disorders. However, the major difference is that the DSM presents 3 (4 with NOS) distinct types of Bipolar Disorder. There is no overlap. Something is I or II, THere is nothing in between.
In the Spectrum concept, there is no strong line drawn between the types. Have you ever seen an illustration of the color spectrum. There’s not a clear demarkation between blue and red – the colors “flow” into one another, overlapping to to form all the other variants of the blue red mixture. This part of the spectrum would start with “true/pure” Blue, then blended colors like violet, purple, etc. It would end with “true/pure” Red.
The bipolar spectrum is sort of like that. The different subtypes of bipolar flow into each other and overlap, just as the colors on the spectrum.
On http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.lieber.html I found two different descriptions of the subtypes of bipolar disorder in the spectrum.
KLERMAN’S PRIMARY BIPOLAR SUBTYPES
(Psychiatric Annals #17: January 1987)
Bipolar I: Mania and depression
Bipolar II: Hypomania and depression
Bipolar III: Cyclothymic disorder
Bipolar IV: Hypomania or mania precipitated by antidepressant drugs
Bipolar V: Depressed patients with a family history of bipolar illness
Bipolar VI: Mania without depression [unipolar mania]
The first 3 are the official DSM recognized “Types” of Bipolar, along with something called Bipolar Disorder NOS (not otherwise specified)
Another more recent breakdown of the subtypes is:
AKISKAL’S SCHEMA OF BIPOLAR SUBTYPES
(Psychiatric Clinics of North America 22:3, September 1999)
Bipolar I: full-blown mania
Bipolar I ½: depression with protracted hypomania
Bipolar II: depression with hypomanic episodes
Bipolar II ½: cyclothymic disorder
Bipolar III: hypomania due to antidepressant drugs
Bipolar III ½: hypomania and/or depression associated with substance use
Bipolar IV: depression associated with hyperthymic temperament
Supposedly there’s a V and VI, but the descriptions are still being developed
Another good site for bipolar spectrum in general is http://www.psycheducation.org/ the creator of this site is a practicing psychiatrist who also wrote a book called “Why am I still Depressed”
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER.
The spectrum concept NOT part of the “official” description of Bipolar Disorder in the DSM. The DSM does not discuss the idea of the Bipolar Spectrum. That is relatively new, but increasing being accepted by more and more practicing pdocs. Your pdoc may or may not “believe” in it yet.
Maybe version 5 of the DSM, scheduled to be published in 2010, will show some acceptance of this idea. But not yet.
I hope that helps a little. Maybe the 2 sites above can give you a starting place to find out more info. but remember these are “unofficial” opinions, not totally accepted official DSM diagnoses.
good luck, and peace,
c.
Fizzy, keep floating, it will pass, just go with it, don’t fight it. As far as Bipolar 1-6, I only know that the worst is Bipolar 1, and yippee that’s what I have been dealt with. Sorry for short post, got the flew and feeling most unwell, keep going lol, Kazbar
thanks for the information c cleared a few things up, peace with you as well and be safe, and get well soon kazbar
fizzy