Bipolar II disorder is characterized by which combination of episodes?

Bipolar II disorder is characterized by which combination of episodes?

• A. Severe mania with psychosis.
• B. Mood swings without discrete episodes.
• C. Mildly manic (hypomanic) episodes and major depressive episodes.
• D. Only depressive episodes.

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is how Bipolar II is defined by a pattern of mood states: milder elevated mood that qualifies as hypomania, paired with major depressive episodes. In Bipolar II, you have hypomanic episodes—elevated or irritable mood with increased energy that lasts at least a few days but does not cause severe impairment or psychotic features—and you also have major depressive episodes that meet full criteria for major depressive disorder. This combination—hypomania plus major depression—distinguishes Bipolar II from Bipolar I, which involves a full manic episode often with psychosis and greater impairment, and from other conditions like cyclothymia (mayshimmer mood swings without full episodes) or major depressive disorder (which lacks hypomanic or manic features).

The key idea here is how Bipolar II is defined by a pattern of mood states: milder elevated mood that qualifies as hypomania, paired with major depressive episodes. In Bipolar II, you have hypomanic episodes—elevated or irritable mood with increased energy that lasts at least a few days but does not cause severe impairment or psychotic features—and you also have major depressive episodes that meet full criteria for major depressive disorder. This combination—hypomania plus major depression—distinguishes Bipolar II from Bipolar I, which involves a full manic episode often with psychosis and greater impairment, and from other conditions like cyclothymia (mayshimmer mood swings without full episodes) or major depressive disorder (which lacks hypomanic or manic features).