Types of Bipolar Disorder and Their Characteristics

We have three different states represented here in this image. And so the purple line is Bipolar disorder type 1. Bipolar disorder type 1. It's characterized by less severe depression, however, more severe mania as opposed to bipolar disorder type 2, which is represented by the greenish blue line which has more severe depression alternating with less sever severe mania or hypomania. And as you see in this drawing, it's also depicted that the states are reliable, cyclical and alternating. So for bipolar disorder, again, the key feature is that the patterns are reliable. Cyclothymia is this teeny tiny little red line. And in cyclothymia we see that the person doesn't quite satisfy major depression nor do they satisfy the criteria for hypomania. But you do see the pattern where, where it's reliable and cyclical. And so when we're looking at somebody who has these symptoms, we have to map their symptoms out for a period of time in order to assess is this actual true bipolar disorder or is it changes in mood?