Differences between Bipolar II and Bipolar I

Bipolar I and II disorders also called manic depressive disorder are mental illnesses. Both are chacterized by changes in moods ( the overall feeling about life) cycling between highs and lows periodically. These cycles are depression or low and elation highs.
In bipolar II disorder, the up moods never reach full blown mania. The less intense moodswings in bipolar II disorder are depression and hypomania.
People with bipolar II disorder have had at least one hypomanic episode in life. Most people with bipolar II disorder also suffer from episodes of depression.
In between episodes of hypomania and depression, people with bipolar II disorder return to normal moods and continueto live a normal life.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder usually start in the late teens and early 20's. Nearly everyone with bipolar II disorder develops it before age 50. People with an immediate family member with bipolar are at higher risk.
During a hypomanic episode, elevated mood can be either euphoria or as irritability.
Symptoms during hypomanic episodes usuaolly are thinking rapidly jumping from one idea to the next. Rapid and loud speech
Increased energy, with hyperactivity, restlessness and a decreased need for sleep
People experiencing hypomanic episodes are fun to be around. can often seem like they have an extrovert personality making jokes, taking an intense interest in activities, and influencing others with their positive mood.
Hypomania can also lead to erratic and dangerous behavior. People in hypomanic episodes can spend money they don't have, act out sexually, and have other impulsive or risky behaviors.
The majority of people with bipolar II disorder experience significant depressive episodes. These can occur suddenly after hypomania, a crash or much later. Some people cycle back and forth between hypomania and depression, while others have long periods of normal mood in between episodes.
Untreated, hypomania can last anywhere from a few days to several months in rarer cases years. For most symptoms continue for a few weeks to a few months.
Depressive episodes in bipolar II disorder are similar to a regular depression, with depressed mood, loss of pleasure, low energy and activity, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and thoughts of suicide. Depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder can last weeks, months, or rarely years.
Bipolar I is a more severe disorder than bipolar II. People with bipolar I disorder experience true mania -- a severe, abnormally elevated mood with erratic behavior. Manic symptoms lead to serious disruptions in life, causing legal or major personal problems.
In bipolar II disorder, the symptoms of elevate mood never reach full-on mania. Bipolar II can be thought of as a milder form of bipolar disorder.
A person with bipolar II experiences hypomanic episodes but not manic episodes. The difference between mania and hypomania is a matter of severity - hypomania generally does not impair a person's mental functioning and thy do not need to be hospitalized.
They do not exhibit psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or paranoia as with bipolar I disorder.
In most cases, people with bipolar disorder experience more periods of depression than periods of mania. Bipolar disorder can be either severe or mild, and can have either frequent or infrequent mood swings.
Most people with bipolar I have episodes of both depression and mania. In very rare cases, they experience only mania. Bipolar I is distinguished from bipolar II by the severity and duration of the manic phase, which can last anywhere from a week to several months, and the experience of delusions.

The symptoms of mania can include rapid speech, insomnia, disconnected thoughts, grandiose ideas, hallucinations, extreme irritability, paranoia, violent behavior, a marked increase in strength, and openly promiscuous behavior.

People with cyclothymic disorder alternate between hypomania and mild depression. It is not as severe as bipolar I and II, but persists for longer periods with no break in symptoms. Cyclothymic disorder can later become full-blown bipolar disorder in some people, or can continue unchanged.

Most people with bipolar disorder have an average of 10 manic or depressive episodes over a lifetime. Some, however, experience much more severe symptoms called rapid cycling. They can cycle between lows and highs many times in one day. To be considered a rapid cycler, you must have at leat 4 mood swings in a year.

During a Mixed Episode, symptoms of both mania and depression occur at the same time. The excitability and agitation of mania with depression and irritability. This combination of high energy and agitation along with depression makes the mixed episode the most dangerous for risk of suicide.
The suicide rate for bipolars both I and II is decreasing due to better medications which are used to treat the disorder. Commonly bipolars can expect to see fewer episodes and the intensity of the episodes decreased.