what is the difference between bipolar depression and bipolar disorder?

Question

what is the difference between bipolar depression and bipolar disoder?

Answer 1

Bipolar disorder (previously known as manic depression) is a diagnostic category describing a class of mood disorders where the person experiences states or episodes of depression and/or mania, hypomania, and/or mixed states. Left untreated, it is a severely disabling psychiatric condition. The difference between bipolar disorder and unipolar disorder (also called major depression) - for the purpose of this introduction - is that bipolar disorder involves "energized" or "activated" mood states in addition to depressed mood states. The duration and intensity of mood states varies widely among people with the illness. Fluctuating from one mood state to another is called "cycling" or having mood swings. Mood swings cause impairment not only in one's mood, but also in one's energy level, sleep pattern, activity level, social rhythms and thinking abilities. Many people become fully disabled - for significant periods of time - and during this time have great difficulty functioning.




bipolar depression is listed as the same.

Answer 2

I think the generalization of Bipolar disorder is a disorder that was known as Manic Depression. Bipolar disorder is classified many different ways. Bipolar I and II are different depending on severity of episodes: manic/hypomanic/mixed/and major depressive episodes. I think a simple definition of bipolar II, would be mood swings, excessive energy/anxiety, etc. but not as "severe" as I (although, I don't want to say that, but it's not a that easy of an question to answer).

Answer 3

Butterfly_grrl and psychgrad have got the best answers so far. I'm not entirely sure which has the correct answer about whether there is a Bipolar Depression diagnosis since I've been retired for around 10 years now, but if you want more particulars, go to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) in whatever version they're using now. That's where all clinicians, psychiatric or psychological, go to decide on which diagnosis is most appropriate. You'll get a detailed description in the category that used to be entitled "Diagnostic Criteria". You can find the DSM either in a good bookstore, for a "pretty penny" I might add, or you might find it in a good library. Good luck. God Bless you.

Answer 4

They are basically the same. If you are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, you have had a Major Depressive episode and a Manic or Hypomanic episode. People will cycle between depression and mania frequently, but the length of the cycles will vary.
There isn't actually a diagnosis called "Bipolar Depression".
I suppose someone with Bipolar Depression has experienced mania in the past, but is currently having or most recently had a major depressive episode.

Answer 5

The previous answers are correct. Bipolar depression is a symptom of bipolar disorder. It is the extreme lower end of the bipolar mood spectrum. Mania is at the extreme high end. The notable points in between are: mild depression (the blues), normal/balanced mood and hypo-manic. See the diagram by clicking below.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/tls3123283/Bipolar/scale.gif

You can find the full information at the link shown in the sources space below.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Sincerely,
Terry

Answer 6

Bipolar disorders are marked by a cycling between major depression and hypomania. There is no such diagnosis as Bipolar Depression, however, you can be experiencing the major depressive episode of a bipolar disorder. Major depression have several diagnostic criteria as outline by the DSM-IV TR.

Answer 7

Bipolar depression is one end of the bipolar spectrum. The term bipolar means between two polarities - depression at one end, and mania at the other. If you are diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, your mood may swing between the two to a greater or lesser degree, possibly with symptoms of anxiety disorder too.

Answer 8

Bipolar depression is part of bipolar disorder, the other half being bipolar mania.

Answer 9

Bipolar Disorder is the category of illness. Bipolar Depression is just one of the symptoms of that illness.

Directly below me, "Butterflygrrl" has a better and much more descriptive answer!